A Pursuit For Purpose
by SibylStorm
Summary: Soma and Co. are set to begin their third year, but all of a sudden a tragedy shakes Soma's life to the core. What happens when a man loses his purpose in life? Does he quit? Or does he claw his way back? Is Soma the only one who has lost his way?
1. Chapter 1: All Alone

**H ey guys, this is my first attempt at writing fiction & I hope this will be a successful one.  
**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the characters.**

 **1:** **All Alone**

The sun was scorching and causing a certain redhead to sweat profusely. The added weight of the charcoal grill he was carrying didn't help the situation much. Finally, he reached his destination, a building so old and creepy, it was a wonder no one had declared it as a Class 2 Heritage Site. This was his beloved Polar Star Dormitory.

"Konbanwa, Fumio-san," said the 17 year old boy to the ancient caretaker, "What's for dinner?"

Daimido Fumio greeted Yukihira Soma, First Seat of the Totsuki Culinary Academy Elite Ten Council.  
"If you were expecting me to bow down, I assure you that's not gonna happen," was her sharp response.

Soma just smiled and went up to his room, the room which previously belonged to his father, the man called The Demon. He placed the grill on the table and ran his finger along a certain burnt portion of the floor. The mark left by a certain previous owner of this room. Soma hadn't called his father for some time now. Making a mental note to call him soon, he proceeded to take a bath.

* * *

At the Totsuki HQ, Director Nakiri Senzaemon had a surprise visitor.

"Is this true?" the question was directed to the man standing in front of him.

"Yes," was the deadpanned reply of Dojima Gin, former First Seat and current Head Chef of the Totsuki Resort.

"But that's not the only reason why you're here?" asked the Director.  
"There's something you should know," he replied as he sat down.

* * *

"I've been summoned now? Look at the time," murmured a disgruntled Soma as he made his way to the Director's office.

 _Hisako sold me out I guess. I shouldn't have forced her to try my squid in mango chutney. Man, I'm in deep trouble._

Walking under the starry skies, he took out his phone and dialled his father's number. _I gotta let him know. There's a new worst dish ever in the market._ He smiled. _  
"_ The number you're calling is switched off. Please try again after sometime," a mechanical voice replied. _That's odd._

* * *

Nakiri Erina was late. These reports were supposed to be submitted to the Director two hours ago.

 _Damn that Yukihira and damn his excuses. This is his job._

Increasing her pace, she arranged the stack of papers in her hand.

 _I am the Second Seat, and yet my status has been reduced to that of a delivery boy of that lowly commoner. I should throw these here and leave and let him face the aftermath._

"What the-," the blonde stopped as she saw her reason of frustration standing outside the Director's office and banging his head on the wall beside the door. Then the door opened and he went inside.

 _What the hell?_

She went into the room beside the office, intending to leave the reports there.

"If this is because of Arato, in my defence, it was only a joke," she heard him say.

 _So, that's why Hisako took a leave due to sickness. He's responsible._

Erina's blood boiled, to think of the audacity of that man.

"Yukihira-kun, please sit down," said a deep voice.

 _Dojima-senpai? What's going on?_

* * *

"Yukihira Soma," Nakiri Senzaemon questioned the boy, "what is the name of your father?"

If Soma was surprised to see Dojima Gin, this question disarmed him completely. The guy who couldn't shut up for a minute was rendered speechless.

"Eh? Yu-Yukihira Joichiro. But what is all this?" He turned towards Gin, a little caution dawning over him.

"Please," the Director's voice was softer now, "his real name."

Soma was still staring at Gin; caution overpowered his senses completely accompanied with a flicker of betrayal. He took a deep breath.

 _This was bound to happen sometime._

"Saiba Joichiro," he said quietly.

His confession was followed by a significant period of silence. Senzaemon continued to look down while Dojima was looking at Soma.

Soma was preparing to break the silence with a lot of questions, suddenly Dojima Gin spoke up.  
"I received a call some time ago," he looked down, "I'm so sorry Soma-kun."  
Soma was bewildered, he began to stand up. Gin continued.

"Your father is no more."

* * *

Nakiri Erina forgot to breathe. She had to lean onto the wall for support. Tears were building up in her eyes, but she couldn't make a sound. Biting on her tongue as hard as she could, she stood as silent as the grave while her grief was tearing her body apart.

Then she heard him, in a voice that no one has ever heard from the Son of the Demon, a voice filled with so much pain.  
"How?"

That one word destroyed her resistance, tears flowed out uncontrollably. Her whole body was shaking. She couldn't take this, it was too much. She ran out.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading it. I'll be waiting for the reviews.**


	2. Chapter 2: Flowers & Futility

**H** **ey guys, I wanna thank each and every individual who read my story, those who reviewed, thanks; they were encouraging. Those who didn't, please do. I will reply to them individually soon, you see, I'm gonna leave town for a couple of weeks. So, the next chapter will be a bit delayed. Sorry about that. Here's the 2nd chapter, please leave your comments.**

 **[Italics represent the character's own thoughts, and prolonged use of italics means flashbacks.]**

* * *

 **2: Flowers & Futility**

 _"_ _We should apologize to our regulars," said Yukihira Sr. as he walked past Soma to enter his restaurant.  
"Apologize to your son first." Soma retorted._

 _The middle aged man stopped and fisted Soma's chest lightly, "It's time for you to go, Soma," he smiled, "Figure out what you've got."_

 _Soma looked up._

 _The smile was replaced with an expression of blankness, eyes staring into the distance; everything turned dark._

 _I'll never hear his voice again._

Soma cried out and sat up. He was drenched with sweat. Panting, he looked at the time, 5:17 AM.

 _So this is how it's gonna be from now._

He covered his face with his hands. He remained still.

 _Today's the day._

* * *

 _"_ _Oyaji, won't I ever see mom again?" asked a 5 year old Soma._

 _His father didn't say anything, just held Soma tighter. Soma saw people with flowers, lots of it._

 _"_ _Dad, where are my flowers?"_

It's been 12 years since he lost his mother, but memories kept haunting him; now more than ever.

There was a part of him that didn't wish to go to the funeral. This would make it real, too real for him. As if seeing his lifeless body wasn't enough.

At that time, Soma wouldn't cry. He just stared at him. Anger, rage, and betrayal, they consumed his body.

 _There's so many things that you've kept from me, old man. Wasn't I worthy enough of your trust?_

* * *

Soma didn't even know who all came to the funeral. He just saw a crowd. Not trusting him to be strong enough to look someone in the eye, not even bothering to look at their faces. The moment he arrived, he was enveloped with words of comfort, hugs and condolences.

He acknowledged the Aldini twins' effort to get him to talk. He appreciated that Tadokoro and Ikumi were sitting behind him, looking over him. But truly he wanted to go away. It was becoming too real. He didn't want to be there.

 _17 years and I'm all alone._

91st Generation graduate Isshiki Satoshi just hugged Soma. He knew no words were enough to comfort the boy. He led Soma to the front, and said quietly, "He was proud of you." Soma quietly murmured, "Thanks for coming senpai," while staring at their moving feet.

Soma stopped. The flowers were blinding him, bringing back scenes of a different funeral. He sensed his vision was starting to blur.

 _Tears._

He closed his eyes, while his hands rolled into fists.

The crowd stirred a little when Director Senzaemon Nakiri made his way forward to pay his respects. The Director put a hand on Soma's shoulder, but Soma didn't look up.

"He will never be forgotten." Soma heard him say.

* * *

"Won't Soma-kun come back to Polar Star?" asked a concerned Tadokoro Megumi, Fifth Seat of the Elite Ten Council.

"He's asked the Director to excuse him for a few days," replied Ibusaki Shun, another member of the Polar Star.

Megumi continued to look in Soma's direction, "He may not show it. But he's in a world of pain. He wasn't ready for this," she said, her voice cracking a little.

"I believe he'll come around soon, perhaps he needs some personal space now, to figure things out," said Ikumi, also looking at the lone redhead.

"Let's hope that our First Seat comes back soon," voiced Sakaki Ryoko.

The others murmured in agreement and started to depart, all except Megumi.

 _Please come back, Soma-kun._ She said in her mind before departing.

* * *

Slowly the crowd dispersed. The air grew quieter gradually. Yet, Nakiri Erina remained seated at the back, clutching a certain photograph.

 _"_ _Will you come back to taste my food when I become a chef?" asked the little girl while posing beside the tall red-headed man._

 _"_ _Of course," she heard his deep voice._

 _"_ _I'll try to be as good as you are," the girl swore._

 _"Ready?" asked the photographer._

"You broke your promise, Saiba-sama," Erina whispered to herself, a cold drop of tear slid down her cheek.

She stood up and began to retreat back to her car, but she looked back.

 _He's still standing there._

* * *

Soma couldn't put up with the flowers. He didn't bring any himself. The mere sight of them piling up was hurting him. He was sick of the condolences. What do they know? They don't even have the faintest idea of the extent of his loss. The world lamented the loss of a great chef, but for Soma he was the world itself. His subconscious mind was desperately trying to channel his anger to a third party, with little success. He closed his eyes as well as his mind, completely shutting his senses.

Soon, he lost track of time.

 _It's unfair._

Soma was snapped awake from his reverie when he felt his hand being pulled from behind. Suddenly his anger found a new target; he turned back to yell at the source of the rude interruption, but when he saw a pair of amethyst eyes, he forgot what he was about to say. He didn't know Second Seat Nakiri Erina had come here today.

* * *

Erina immediately regretted intruding him the moment she saw the fire in Soma's golden eyes; it was a look of pure loathing. Fear gripped her whole body and she let go of him. But the fire subsided as suddenly as it erupted.

"It's going to rain. You should go back to your dorm," said Erina, with a slight unease in her voice.

"Not the dorm," he replied.

With a deep rumble, the sky began its inundation.

"Come with me," she shouted, and strangely Soma nodded.

They were pretty much dripping by the time they entered her car.

"Where to?" asked Erina.

But somehow she already knew the answer.

* * *

As they drove towards Diner Yukihira, apart from the periodic rumbling of thunder and the splash of raindrops, silence prevailed. Erina was reminded about the time when she and Soma returned together from the Totsuki Friendship & Rapport Training Camp.

 _Deja-vu. But maybe not._

She stole a look at him. Soma was looking outside, deep in his own thoughts. Last time, he had slept the whole way back.

It was weird seeing him both awake and quiet. Those two traits were unlike Yukihira Soma.

Her grandfather did tell her about the possibility of this happening, two nights ago.

 _"_ _Heart...condition?" a grief-stricken Erina couldn't believe what her grandfather just informed her._

 _Director Nakiri just nodded._

 _"_ _& his...son, he didn't know anything?" _

_The ancient man stood up from his chair and walked towards her._

 _He held her shoulder; both of them refrained from talking for a while._

 _"_ _This may destroy the boy," he whispered._

 _Erina held her grandfather's hand, trying her hardest to keep her tears in check._

 _"_ _What do you intend to do about him?" asked the silver bearded man._

 _She looked up, astonished._

 _"_ _I...don't care what happens to him," Erina snapped, a bit defensively._

 _Amethyst eyes met red._

 _Senzaemon Nakiri sighed, "Then Joichiro's efforts will be an exercise in futility."_

A loud roaring thunder shattered her train of thought. She glanced at her co-passenger again.

He was staring at his phone, a confused expression on his face.

This chilly silence was uncanny, even for Erina.

 _Exercise in futility._

She looked at him again as their car took another turn.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading. I understand the need for longer chapters, but to peer into the devastated mind of Soma for a longer period is a very hard prospect for me. (This is my first tragedy, btw.)**

 **Oh yeah, before I forget. The story will require Soma to travel to a foreign land. I've selected three options, 1. Italy 2. India 3. England. PM me your choice. Thanks again.**

Upcoming chapter: God's Tongue, God's Heart.


	3. Chapter 3: God's Tongue, God's Heart

So, India it is then. Alright, I'll get right to it. Thank you for your votes. Sorry to those who voted for Italy and England. Maybe, I'll add a special chapter with those places as the venue.

Here are the replies to a few of the reviews. Thank you so much, btw.

 **Demon Damian** : I will finish it - **MoonlitSins** : I wanted a crisis like this, so I made my own.— **LavenderIceCream:** In my mind, it will always be Soma x Erina, can't help it. Liked your story btw. — **ProdigyMidnight:** Yeah, very nice of you to understand my source of inspiration.— **Hypocrisy:** More drama ahead. - **xMlgBlaze:** I'll keep it in mind.— **Gamerof1458:** You understand me dude.— **Kisnei:** Will try hard to keep y'all entertained. Keep updating your story too.— **the real kirito:** Done.— **Mr. Mrs. MDF:** Soma will come back to his old self soon, & regarding more characters, there are a few surprises to come.— **ClippedNinja:** Then this chapter will be a treat for you.— **abhishekbssn:** You'll see - **aGoldenLion** : Thumbs up.— **East Coast Captain:** I've no idea about that. Please explain.

For the guest reviewers, I thank you all too.

 **Sorina:** Glad you liked it.— **JKLO:** Thank you so much for the advice.

* * *

 **3: God's Tongue; God's Heart**

"We're here, Lady Erina," said the driver, halting in front of their destination.

Erina read the sign, 'Diner Yukihira.'

 _So this is where he cooked._

She heard Soma get out, but she didn't look, instead she continued to gaze at the restaurant.

 _So close, yet never in a million guesses I would have known he was here._

"Um...thanks for the ride," said Soma. She turned towards the speaker and nodded. It was nice that he found his voice again.

"Driver, Tots-," she said.

"Nakiri," interrupted Soma, "You're welcome to come in and dry yourself."

She looked at him, incredulous.

Soma avoided her gaze, "I...I understand, thanks anyway," he said quickly and started walking towards the entrance.

Erina's eyes followed him.

 _He does take after his father._

She thought for a while as she watched the rain wash the sign. She observed that the paint work has faded. Somehow, that made her gloomy.

She heard the driver start the ignition.

"Wait here," she commanded as she got out.

* * *

Soma hadn't moved from his spot for some time now, his eyes fixed on the kitchen. A few more days and the kitchen would have witnessed the 503rd Shokugeki between the Demon and his son. There was a fine layer of dust on the oven and pans. That annoyed him. Instead of drying himself, he grabbed a kitchen rag and began cleaning the oven.

"You know Pops, I would have won this one," he said to himself.

* * *

It took some time for Erina to comprehend that Soma hadn't noticed her enter the restaurant. He was busy with the oven. His actions weren't making any sense. But given the circumstances, no one could blame him. She was thinking whether to stay or leave. He hasn't seen her enter; possibly he won't notice her leave. The kitchen was awfully quiet.

"You know Pops, I would have won this one," she heard him whisper as he rubbed the oven with a rag.

 _Win what?_

Erina was convinced that this was a bad idea. Last thing she wanted was to eavesdrop on the mutterings of the unfortunate boy. Unknowingly she touched her hair and her hand shivered. She had completely forgotten that she was drenched. The sudden realization intensified the shivering.

"Cou...could you grab me a towel?" she blurted out.

Her voice startled him. She braced herself for some kind of remark of poor humour. But he didn't look back, instead he wordlessly went upstairs. Her eyes followed him, waiting, but the remark never came.

A few seconds later, Soma came down with a couple of dry towels and a Yukihira shirt.

"You can change into this if you like. Use the first room to your left beside the stairs," said the red-head while turning back to his pots.

* * *

The shirt was a bit large for her; she had trouble keeping the sleeves from covering her hands entirely. Finally, she resorted to fold the sleeves, way above her elbow.

 _That should hold them._

Erina re-entered the kitchen only to find it deserted.

"Yukihira-kun?" she called out. No response.

 _Where'd he go now?_

She looked around for a while, her impatience inflating gradually. She wondered if she would go upstairs. Deciding against it, she stood at the foot of the stairs and called for him again.

Silence.

"Is this a joke?" she yelled, not bothering to disguise her indignation anymore. No answer, yet again.

 _That's it._

She put the folded towels on a chair and began to storm out, but a sudden reflection caught her eye.

 _Huh?_

She moved towards the source of her curiosity. It was a photo frame, a toddler Soma was smiling, his father to his left, and his mother to his right. Erina approached the frame for a closer look. Joichiro appeared to be in his late twenties, dressed in a black tee, a grin on his face, one hand on Soma's head, another on his hips.

 _Probably the sa_ me _age when our photograph was taken._

His mother was not Japanese; her skin glistened like gold and her light brown hair cupped her exotic face. But her eyes caught Erina's attention. Her eyes were black, and filled with such kindness. She held her son's right hand. She was smiling.

 _Beautiful._

Soma was smiling so wide, his eyes were reduced to slits. There was no scar above his right eye. Erina unintentionally wiped the dust off the frame.

"Sorry Nakiri, had to head out," announced the older and scarred Soma, as he entered into the restaurant with two grocery bags.

He proceeded to put the bags on the table, and failed to notice the blonde beside the frame. Erina moved away quietly.

"It's alright," she replied, her thoughts still engaged with the family photo, "It's getting late, I should be..."

"Wait," interrupted Soma, "Let me make you something," as he rummaged through the bags.

 _What? He wants to cook now?_

"No, thank you," she politely denied, "Don't go into any trouble on my account."

"Why?" asked Soma, with a smile, probably his first of the day, "Lowly commoner's food?" His smile widened, as he started pulling out items from the other bag, "Oyaji always told me that no one should leave Yukihira unfed." His grin faltered a little.

Erina couldn't think of anything to say. Soma waited for some time.

"Fine, I won't force our diner food on you," a hint of bitterness in his voice, he turned towards the oven, "You can keep the shirt, if you wish to. I have lots of them." He opened a cupboard to retrieve the chopping board.

Erina flinched.

* * *

 _What's that word she used to say?_

Soma began to untie the cloth tied to his hand.

 _'_ _Plebeian' I guess, she missed that particular adjective today._

Soma chuckled silently, wearing his iconic headband.

 _Never mind, I gotta cook anyway._

Soma began chopping celery. The sound of the knife repeatedly hitting the chopping board filled the otherwise silent kitchen; while finely cut celery was separated from the main stalks. The rhythmic sound seemed to calm Soma down. He enjoyed this feeling. He could empty his mind. But gradually, Soma's intensity wavered.

 _Mayumi Kurase has selected a winner. It is Yukihira Joichiro._

 _A crowd had gathered to witness the 489_ _th_ _Shokugeki between the present and the future owner of Diner Yukihira._

 _"_ _Joichiro-san makes the best Chinese Fried Rice," Soma heard someone yell from the crowd._

 _"_ _So Soma, that's about 500 losses in a row," said his father, smirking._

 _"_ _489_ _th_ _!" screamed Soma._

"Dammit," barked the lone cook. His knife had sunk into something denser than celery.

* * *

Nakiri Erina was hurt. She had never heard the boy talk like this. No one had the audacity to talk to her this rudely. Yet, it was bizarre that she was the one who felt ashamed.

 _I didn't mean it that way._

Her mind spoke up, but her voice failed.

"Plebeian," she heard him mutter.

 _Never, Saiba-sama is the best._

She quietly began to retreat back to the door.

 _He was._

"Dammit," she heard him swear. Concerned, she quickly went beside him.

Blood was dripping from his left thumb, while he stared at it with a dazed expression, his hands were shaking. Erina watched him making no attempts to stop the bleeding. She quickly took the knife away.

* * *

 _I can't remember the last time I had cut myself._

Soma was staring at the blonde in front him, she was ebbing the blood flow with a bandage. He winced as Erina pressed the bandage on his wound.

"I thought you were gone," he managed to say.

"I was." She replied, inspecting his wound.

Then she looked up, "I heard you scream," She said quietly, "The cut is deep." She wrapped a fresh cloth on it. Soma kept looking at her.

"That's the best I can do," she said, while proceeding to wash her hands.

"Thanks Nakiri," said Soma, "I can take it from here." He picked up the knife.

Erina snatched it away from him. "Get some rest, you shouldn't cook."

"But I must," protested Soma. Erina raised her eye brows. "A guest is gonna come soon, an old friend of Pops," he explained.

She looked at him for a moment, and handed the knife back to him.

Soma took it from her and walked towards the kitchen. His mind seemed clouded. He wasn't accustomed to this kind of accidents; he is the First Seat for God's sake. How can he make a rookie mistake like this? It was unbelievable. Yet, his throbbing finger was evidence enough.

 _What's wrong with me?_

 _"_ Hisako? Erina here, clear my evening appointments _,"_ Soma turned towards her, puzzled.

Erina continued talking to her cell, "I've something important to do. Thank you." She disconnected.

"What are ya doin'?" Soma inquired. The turn of events was confusing him.

Erina rolled up her hair into a bun and walked towards the grocery bags on the table. She peered inside and studied the contents for a while. Pulling out the bag of rice she said, "I don't know how things go down here, but if you are going to cook Chinese Fried Rice, you should begin with the rice." Without waiting for a reply, the blonde walked over to the kitchen in order to procure a pot to pour the uncooked rice.

Soma, dissatisfied with her strange reply, hurriedly blocked her path. "What are you doing?" he repeated the question. Erina looked straight into his eyes. She noticed that these eyes were different, they had lost their sparkle. His shining golden pupils used to emanate so much joy, but these eyes are cold.

 _I do have a heart, Soma-kun._

Her reply rendered Yukihira Soma speechless.

"No one should leave Yukihira unfed."

* * *

I promise the chapters will be longer from the next update. Please let me know whether you liked this update or not. Will be waiting for them. Don't forget to Follow/Fav this.

Upcoming Chapter: Inheritance


	4. Chapter 4: Inheritance

**The amount of support is overwhelming. *bows down*  
I know, I've been on hiatus for a long time. To be honest, I'm a very slow writer. But now I'm back with a whole new update.**

 **Thank you, thank you so much for all those lovely reviews. They are my inspiration. Here are the replies to a few of the reviews. Thank you so much, again.**

 **ship anime and manga –** Hope this chapter is long enough. **dotJKLO –** Thank you, I hope you enjoy this update. **Soleil-Angel –** I'm glad you like the plot. **Demon Damian –** This is the greatest acknowledgement a fanfic writer can get. Thank you. Please continue reviewing. **Aris0114 –** I'm sorry but I'm gonna be a bit irregular. **The-3Charles2-Hunter –** Thanks a lot. **Hellfire000 –** Hope you enjoy the new developments. **Harumaki03 –** Greetings, I'm happy that you like my story and I can assure you that I will finish this; it may take some time though. Thank you for the beautiful review. **Maail99** & **kyjori** & **Intangibly Yours –** Thank you so so much. **SomeRandomGuyOnTheNet -** Thank you.

 **Please review coz those are the only things that can drag my lazy ass to the computer.**

 **4: Inheritance**

Takumi Aldini swept his eyes over the empty room. His brother had left for Italy this morning, much to the blue-eyed blonde's resentment. The elder twin had insisted on accompanying the brunette, at least to the _aeroporto_. As usual, Isami had shot him down.

Takumi paced through the room expectantly; Isami said he'd text him once he boards the plane. Takumi continued his pacing, impatience building up inside him. Or was it anger, he wasn't sure. Maybe he was angry with his _fratello_.

 _No._

Takumi was angry with himself. Yes, he agreed. How can he be cross with his brother? Isami has sacrificed a lot, perhaps too much for the elder twin to bear.

It should be him, not the younger twin, taking the helm of their beloved Trattoria Aldini.  
 _Damn you, Zio._

The blonde fisted his bedpost, a wave of fury washing over him. Their uncle had abruptly decided to start his own restaurant; the 2nd in command of Trattoria Aldini felt his talent was being underappreciated, that the Aldini senior have always failed to give him the credit that he deserved.

 _You're wrong, you snake._

Takumi's mind wailed in rage. It was no secret to the brothers who was behind all this. Their uncle's new bride supplied the figurative wrecking ball that broke their restaurant in half.

Memories of that ill-fated night made their way into Takumi's mind. Their heart-broken papa` had called them in order to inform them about the situation. It took exactly 3 minutes for Isami to decide that he should be the one to go back. Taken aback, Takumi had to put his foot down.

 _How we argued._

Yes, he had vehemently opposed Isami's decision. But the younger Aldini said it was his duty to guard their fort with all his might, so that his king can hone his skills without any distractions. It was their destiny to make their restaurant reach new heights, and Isami would sacrifice a lucrative future a thousand times in order to fulfil it. Takumi was stunned; Isami's devotion to him as well as their restaurant was iron-clad. Still the blonde continued shaking his head.

Takumi remembered how his brother had smiled knowingly. In the end, Isami challenged his brother to a game of cards. "Loser stays." He had said. Astonished, Takumi suggested that they have a Shokugeki instead, like proper Totsuki students.

"The results will only bolster my decision," his brother had replied.

 _Mezzaluna._

The word reverberated through the blonde's mind as he peered out of the window, yet he saw nothing in particular; an image of the full moon breaking into halves filled his mind.

"Isami-kun left?" He heard her voice from behind.  
" _Sì_ , he left this morning," he replied as he turned to face Ikumi Mito.

* * *

 _Now, this is a rare sight._

Soma was watching the blonde concoct her magic. She had finished preparing the rice and had turned her attention to frying onions. She worked with such precision and fluidity that put orchestras to shame.

 _Nothing less is expected from the Heir of Totsuki._ Soma made a comment, mentally. In fact, Soma refrained from talking at all. Perhaps he didn't want to disrupt her concentration; perhaps he simply didn't want to talk.

Soma's attention drifted from her work to the Yukihira symbol on her back. His mind began to fabricate troubling thoughts. He was so close to surpassing his father. He was ready to take on the wheel of the Yukihira ship. His father acknowledging his ability was Soma's dream and he was so close to realizing it. But fate sure has a way of twisting stuff. Today Soma's sitting in his own restaurant, unable to cook. This thought made Soma laugh. His father would have laughed harder on top of mocking the boy.

 _I'm a customer here._

"It's done," said Erina, as she placed a bowl of fragrant rice in front of him. Soma looked at her and smiled. "Thanks."

"Try it," said the blonde, unrolling her hair, "And don't you dare say it's disgusting, I've tasted it." Erina folded her hands expectantly.

Soma had a taste. He closed his eyes as he chewed, rather slowly at first. Finally, he swallowed and looked up at her. He stared at her for a moment.

"Dis-," he enunciated the first syllable, Erina's face darkened. "I'm kidding," Soma bared his teeth, "It's delicious," he said, still smiling, "far better than mine." She heard him mutter as he dug into the bowl.

Her face warmed up a little. "Maybe not too far," she murmured. Soma was nodding his head, his mouth too full. Erina smiled at him as she sat down opposite to her customer of the evening.

"I could have made a side dish to go along with the rice, but there weren't any ingredients," she pointed at the grocery bags.

"Yeah, I forgot." Soma replied after swallowing. Erina nodded and took out her cell; she began browsing through her e-mails. There were a lot of unread messages. A few minutes passed in silence.

"I know you're a gifted chef Nakiri," his statement made the blonde look up, "but you were trained to cook haute cuisine." Soma was looking at the now empty bowl. "Yet, you've cooked a perfect rendition of a special-of-the-day diner menu item."

Erina was stunned. This was unexpected, especially from him. But then she looked at him, and bit by bit she was reminded that she was sitting in front of the First Seat of the Elite Ten. The read-head had single-handedly led the revolution that dethroned the mighty Azami Nakiri. Despite the tragic consequences the boy has suffered, his keen culinary sense is not to be trifled with.

"What I'm saying is that," Soma continued, "How did you perfectly recreate a dish without ever tasting it?"

Erina looked down. What should she say? The red-head tilted his head to one side, whilst keeping his eyes fixed on the blonde. His scar now was in full view. Erina looked up again; her hands unconsciously tightened their grip on her cell.

"Saiba-sama made this for me once," she finally replied, almost whispering, "When I was little, I still remember the taste."

She refused to look at him now. She did not have the faintest idea how he would react to this revelation, and she was not at all eager to find out.

"I see." She heard him say. Her eyes shot back up. She had expected more. She waited for the outburst of questions. But nothing of the sorts happened. The boy took his bowl and walked towards the sink. She kept on waiting; even a single comment would have been enough.

 _Did he know already?_ Her mind worked furiously to come up with reasons to explain the anomaly in the boy's behaviour, to somehow introduce some normality in the current situation.

"Aren't you going to say anything else?" Her voice rang through the quiet restaurant. Meanwhile, Soma was searching for something in a nearby drawer. After retrieving the object, he approached the table where the blonde was sitting. Erina kept on looking at him expectantly. Soma nonchalantly placed a blue box in front of the blonde.  
"What's this?" asked Erina, a little bewildered. In reply, Soma just sat down opposite to her.

"The First Seat has another errand for you." Soma finally said with a smile, that infamous cocky grin peeping at the side of his lips.

* * *

"Rather a short visit," commented Ikumi Mito as she sat on Isami's empty bed.

"Being a sous-chef is quite demanding," said the Italian rather briskly, as he sat down on the window sill, looking down. It took a while for Takumi to realize that he said those words rather rudely. He was reminded of the umpteenth time that the Meat Master had no _ristorante_ background. Flustered, he thought he should apologize.

"It was very kind of him, to come all the way here for Yukihira-kun," he heard her say.

Takumi's face darkened. He just nodded. They both sat in silence for a while. Ikumi wondered if something was bothering the boy, while Takumi mentally debated if this would be a good time to apologize for his earlier curtness. Finally, the emerald eyed girl got up and walked towards him. Takumi's eyes followed her feet. She stopped beside the window.

"Tadokoro-san asked us to meet up with her," she said while she looked out of the window. The boy looked up, "Elite Ten business?" He asked.

"I don't think so," she said, quietly. Takumi nodded slightly, his eyes fixed on his brother's bed. "I understand." He said. She began to retreat back to her previous seat. "Polar Star, this evening?" she asked as she decided to stand near the bedpost instead of sitting down.

Takumi's cell chimed.

 _Isami's text._

He murmured a barely audible " _Sì,"_ while he typed a reply. After hitting send, he looked up. He saw her holding a small bottle and examining it.

"Isn't this the special Aldini olive oil?" she asked, keeping the bottle back on the bedpost.

" _Sì,_ the same," Takumi said quietly.

"But this one is sealed, so I guess this belongs to Isami-kun." She stated.

"He said that I'd need it more than ever," said the young _Italiano,_ inaudibly, his eyes darting back to the window.

Ikumi mentally clouted herself, she quipped, "It's weird that you haven't once said anything about how you were going to defeat Yukihira-kun the next time you face him."

Takumi smiled.  
"I do that a lot, I guess," a small chuckle escaped his lips.  
"A little bit more than a lot," said the Seventh-Seat as she began to walk towards the door. "See ya later then," she said as she opened the door.

Takumi stood up and raised his hand as he watched her leave. After the door closed behind her, he retook his seat on the window sill; his eyes directed towards the outside world, observing everything yet nothing. He smiled a little at her earlier jibe. He swept his eyes over the now empty room again. To him the room seemed a little less illuminated. Is it because she left or has the sun started to set, he pondered. Well, to be honest, she was his little ray of sunshine. It's been a couple of months since Isami left in order to protect their inheritance, making life at Totsuki miserable for _il_ _fratello maggiore_. Had it not been for Yukihira  & Co., his cooking spirit would have dimmed. He was grateful, especially to the new _capo_ of the Don RS. Over time, he realized that apart from a mutual obsession regarding the First Seat, they did have things in common.

Takumi's phone chimed again. Isami's reply has arrived.

Isami: _Did Mito-san come today?_

Takumi _: Si._

Takumi chuckled as his _fratello_ began to grill him with questions. His and her conversation began echoing through his brain as he replied to his twin's queries.

 _"_ _..going to defeat Yukihira-kun the next time you face him."_

His fingers came to a sudden halt as her words rang through his psyche. A tinge of hopelessness crept into his system.  
 _Will there be a next time?_

* * *

 _Twice! TWICE!  
Twice I'm delivering things for him._

Nakiri Erina's mind screamed while her car raced towards her home. She looked at the blue box on her lap spitefully, her rage constantly suggesting her to kick it out of the car this instant. After massaging her temple for a while, she decided against it and placed the box on her side, out of harm's way.

 _Who does he think he is? I am the heir of Totsuki, the best of the Nakiri dynasty. And he's...he's..  
_ She struggled to find the exact word.  
 _"..a rank above you,"_ a part of her consciousness replied, in a voice that bizarrely sounded like Alice. This inflated the Second-Seat's already huge bubble of annoyance. Speaking of her irritating cousin, she made a note that no one should see her in this form, especially Alice.

"I'll never hear the end of it," she muttered as she began folding the sleeves of the infuriatingly large Yukihira shirt. She slumped into her seat as a wave of exhaustion washed over her body. She closed her eyes.

 _"Now I realize, I really don't know much about Pops," said the red-head, "So, if it's a lack of astonishment that's bothering ya, it's because I'm tired of getting surprised."_

 _Erina lowered her eyes, the edge in Soma's voice was quite audible._

 _"_ _Now then, you know what to do with the box. Don't lose it on the way," said Soma as he stood._

 _Erina also stood up; she pulled the box towards her. "What's it for?" She asked, already regretting this._

 _"_ _Oh!" Soma squinted, as he touched his wound, "With a nose like his, he'll know what to do."_

"We're here, ma'am," said the driver as he pulled over in front of the mansion. Erina peered out of the window; the rain had subsided a long time ago. She began searching for any witnesses in the surrounding area. There wasn't anyone. Satisfied, she got out of the car, took her wet clothes and the box, and hurriedly went in.

As she walked up the stairs, clutching the box with both hands, she wondered whether it'd been better if she had said no. But she couldn't refuse him. Why not? Her own actions were confusing her. Was it because she was being sympathetic, or maybe it was her sense of duty that dictated her to assist the First Seat, or perhaps...no, let's not look under that rock just now.

* * *

"I'm sorry for intruding at such a late hour," said a man in his forties as he entered Restaurant Yukihira.

"It's fine, Dojima-senpai, please have a seat," said Soma as he pulled out a chair with his right hand, while keeping his injured hand out of sight, "the restaurant is closed, but I do have some delicious Chinese Fried Rice."

"No Soma-kun, as hearty as that offer sounds, I'm not in a state to eat anything," Dojima Gin rested his head on his hands.

Soma's jaw hardened, that familiar rush of misery swept over him again. Over this side of the table stood a First Seat who lost his father, on the other side sat a First Seat who lost his best friend.

"In your text, you said you had something important to discuss," said the son of Asura, as he sat down opposite to his predecessor.

"I didn't wish to disturb you this morning," the man folded his hands and looked at Soma intently, "these matters must be discussed privately."

Soma sighed as he leaned back against the chair. "Let me guess, it's about the restaurant."  
"Yes, it's about your inheritance," Dojima Gin concurred.

Soma looked at his senior inquisitively, while caressing his bandages beneath the table. "Is that all?" the boy asked.

"No, there's one more thing," said the legendary chef, "it's from Joichiro," he began to rummage through his coat, "for you."

Soma sat up, he extended his hand, confusion building up inside him.

Thunder rumbled, as it began to rain again.

* * *

 **I hope the chapter was long enough. Please review, any questions, queries, sneak peek, complaints; I'm here to satisfy everything. Don't forget to favorite/follow the story.**

 **Until next time, folks.**

 **Upcoming chapter: The Price We Pay**


	5. Chapter 5: The Price We Pay

**200 follows? Wow! This is turning out to be something special. Thank you for sticking with me even after all this time. I know this chapter was long overdue, and I apologise sincerely for being the lazy git that I am.  
Before I reply to the reviews, I gotta commend all the other writers. Preferably the new ones, it is your wonderful works that inspire me to work harder. Let's all take this Shokugeki no Soma community to the top.  
I had to add this interim chapter to clear some back stories, the next chapter will involve what Joichiro has left for Soma.**

 **Intangibly Yours:** I'll keep your query in mind, maybe after I finish this I'll write a prequel involving Soma's rise to the First Seat.  
 **BleachCadelina:** You'll have to be a little patient and wait for the next chapter.

 **unoo:** Thank you !

 **Ridwan-Sama:** More is coming.

 **secret lover writer:** The more the confusion, the better the conclusion.

 **Eramis8:** I hope you like this chapter more.

 **Lemonlover95:** Get ready for more tears.

 **Demon Damian:** You've supported my story since the beginning and I can't wait to read your next review. The travel to India is on the horizon now. Cliff hangers are kinda my thing. Hope you liked this one.

 **Maail99:** The mystery will intensify a bit more.

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 **strikefreedom20a:** I'll try my best.

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 **And all the guest reviewers, I'm grateful to you. Please keep on reading the story and leave lots of reviews.**

* * *

 **5: The Price We Pay**

The cries of a distant catfight echoed through the deserted streets of the Sumire shopping district. After an unremitting downpour that lasted the whole day, darkness enveloped the skies while the clouds rested. A single window was lit amidst its numerous dark counterparts.

Yukihira Soma sat on the edge of his bed, his hands covering his face. Deep breaths escaped from his mouth as his body gradually recovered from his recent nightmare. The bright light was hurting his eyes, but somehow the illumination comforted him.

He got up and went downstairs. The hallway was pitch-black, yet the red-head manoeuvred through the furniture easily.  
 _I'm getting used to this routine,_ thought the boy, images of his first sleepless night flooded in his mind. That night he had bumped into three chairs. The fading bruises were still visible enough. He entered the lavatory.

He began to wash his face. The cold water sent a shiver down his spine, but his burning eyes enjoyed the iciness. He looked at the mirror. A petrified face looked back at him. He let his gaze drop to the spiralling water in the sink as he washed his uncovered injury; dried blood once again became fluid as it followed the spiralling course and gradually disappeared into the central void.

 _"_ _A letter? From Pops?" said Soma as his eyes inspected the sealed envelope._

 _"_ _I think so, it's addressed to you," said Dojima Gin. He continued, "I received a note yesterday, which enclosed this letter and...Joichiro's will," the man paused as he locked eyes with Soma. But Soma refrained from speaking. He continued, "The letter was for you, so I didn't open it, and regarding the will.. your father named me responsible for the restaurant," Soma's eyes hardened at the statement, "until you become 18." The former First Seat paused again._

 _Soma nodded, his eyes were back on the envelope._

 _"_ _That's all."  
"Who was the letter from?" asked the red-head, his mind taking notice how his senpai hasn't said a word regarding the matter. In reply, the Totsuki Alumni pulled out a sheet of paper and put it on the table. "She was a friend of your father," he said as he stood up, "apart from that I don't know anything." Soma merely looked at the sheet, Dojima continued, "Maybe the contents of that envelope will explain-..."  
"What if I don't want to read it?" interrupted Soma, his eyes showed an emotion people seldom saw in them._

Soma entered his bedroom and sat on his bed. His eyes now well adjusted towards the bright illumination; he fisted his hands as he looked at the window. It was still dark.

Soma got up and walked towards his bedpost, after a momentary pause he opened the topmost drawer. The envelope stared back at him from the drawer. It wasn't sealed anymore. The red-head traced a finger along the paper but didn't pick it up. Instead, his hand delved deeper for a certain cuboidal packet. Pocketing it, the lone Yukihira walked towards the roof.

* * *

The next day..

Nakiri Erina was standing outside the Shiomi Lab for some time now. She had knocked twice and yet no one had bothered to open the door. She was wondering whether the guy was still here. A vein was throbbing on her forehead as she pondered about whom she was angry with most; the annoying First Seat or the silent Third Seat.

To be honest, most of the Elite Ten members were displeased with the Spice King, Hayama Akira. Ever since Shiomi Jun left Totsuki, Hayama was rarely sighted. He even stopped showing up at the Elite Ten meetings. Two months ago, Alice as well as a few other members of the Elite Ten had decided to dissociate the white haired boy from the prestigious council. But the First Seat refused to entertain that notion and appealed to the other members that Hayama be allowed to retain his seat for a longer period. His seat has been empty ever since.

The amethyst eyed chef was about to knock again when the door opened. A pair of surprised eyes peered out and scrutinized the view in front of them. Nakiri Erina extended the blue box and said, "This is from Yukihira." Hayama Akira finally stepped out, a sceptical expression still lingering on his face.  
"What's it for?" he said slowly.  
"He didn't say," snapped Erina. It dawned onto her how stupid the answer was. All her temper was now directed towards the red-head. Hayama just looked at her blankly, while he put his hands in his pockets, showing no intention of holding the box. Erina extended the box even further, almost shoving it into the hands of the boy, she said, "He told me that you'd know what to do with it."  
Hayama raised an eyebrow as he accepted the item, and held it rather gingerly. "I don't even know what's in it," continued Erina.

"Spices," stated the Third Seat, by courtesy of his nose, "Rather an exotic lot," he continued as he brought the box closer to his face.

Erina's eyes widened, not because of the recent display of the Spice King's ability, she had seen it before countless times, but because Yukihira Soma's actions were making no sense to her.  
 _What the hell is he doing? What is the meaning of th-?_

"Why are _you_ delivering this?" he said, interrupting Erina's train of thought. His expression told her that this was equally confusing for him too, but his next question rendered her speechless. "Where is Yukihira?"

* * *

At the Polar Star Dormitory..

Fifth Seat Tadokoro Megumi was pacing impatiently in the dorm kitchen. This was unlike the warm and loving enigma of Totsuki. Even this morning when she bid farewell to her former dorm-mates Sakaki Ryoko and Yuki Yoshino, no one predicted that her demeanour would change so drastically. Keeping up appearances wasn't really her forte. This view was so rare that even the younger dorm members decided to vacate the hallway entirely. She seemed like she was expecting someone and the wait was pushing her to the edge. The last few months had been unkind to her. But she had deftly fought through all unfavourable circumstances, a feat, she knew, was beyond her older, shaky self and more importantly without the continuous support of a certain golden-eyed wonder. And now she faced something that shook her to her nucleus, her entire being.

 _Everything I have, had come at a price._ She thought.

Yes, even her winning the Fifth Seat had consequences. To be honest, few expected her to dethrone the former Fifth Seat, some of them even betted that she would be vanquished. But all that time she devoted to hone her culinary skill, all that energy she channelled in order to sand off the rough edges, all that faith she had for her friends, and more importantly all that will she mustered in order not to disappoint the charismatic red-head, had perfectly paid off in the time of reckoning.

She scored an overwhelming victory over Kurokiba Ryo; and won the right to occupy the Fifth Seat. Her warm hospitable nature trounced over the Warlord. It is no wonder she is referred to as the goddess Hestia of Totsuki. Her cooking does welcome everyone into her family. The Second Golden Age of Polar Star Dorm may not have been a fantasy at all. But the price was too harsh.

The red-eyed bloodhound vanished from Totsuki the following day. No explanations, no prior notifications. Even Fourth Seat Nakiri Alice was, for once, at a loss for words. Nobody knew why, even today. Well, no one except Megumi. Kurokiba Ryo did provide her an explanation before he left, only her. The memory was vivid in her mind.

 _"_ _I have always considered this as a conflict, a battle," he said looking straight into her eyes. Megumi failed to come up with a reply, she was befuddled to say the least._  
" _Now it seems, I had it all wrong," he took out the infamous red bandanna from his pocket and looked at it. The topaz-eyed girl noticed the bag on his back. His tone also suggested what he was planning. Megumi caught on to that drift._

 _"_ _You're leaving?" asked Megumi, a sense of guilt creeping into her heart._

 _"_ _I need to find my way again," he looked up and extended the bandanna towards her, he smiled.  
"To the victor go the spoils."_

"Tadokoro-san, they're here," called out Ninth Seat Ibusaki Shun from the hall. Still occupied with her thoughts, Megumi walked towards the voice.

"We're sorry for being late," continued Ikumi Mito.  
"Alice-san...?" Megumi's query hung in the air for a while. Takumi Aldini gravely shook her head.

Megumi nodded, she folded her hands and bowed, "Thank you for coming, please sit down."

"Where's Arato-san?" asked the Italian as he took a seat.

"She's under the weather," replied Megumi.

"Now that ya say it, I haven't seen her for days," said the Meat-Master, "I hope she's doing okay."

"I wish Alice-san had come too," Megumi nodded again. "Now to the matter at hand.." she said solemnly.

* * *

In front of Diner Yukihira..

 _Everybody's weird._

These are the exact words that resonated through Nakiri Erina's mind. Well, she did have enough reasons to think as such. For starters, she had no concrete idea as to why Akira "Power Nose" Hayama was standing behind her holding a blue box. Half of Totsuki thought he was dead. But here he is in all his glory. Erina mentally agreed that she'll never understand the guy. The man who bested her white-haired cousin was naturally gifted in the art of being bizarre. She glanced back at him only to find him staring at the front door. A look of impatience was creeping in his expression.

 _Yukihira-kun is so going to intensify that look._

Yukihira Soma was naturally gifted in the art of being irritating.

She shook her head and knocked for the third time. It surprised her a little, that she was getting used to the red-head's frustrating antics. She helped herself to a little smile. So, this is how it feels to be at the other side of the mirror.

"You're sure he's in there?" asked Hayama, a bit edgily.

"Can't you smell him or something?" snapped the heir of Totsuki. Oh Lord! He was getting on her nerves. Two hours ago he didn't even know what had transpired with the First Seat, and then he practically begged her to take him to Yukihira. She waited for his retort. But nothing came.

 _What's his deal with Soma anyway?_

She never thought of them as close. She gripped the packet that she was carrying tightly. _He did insist that I can keep it._ A voice in her head chimed. But she wasn't going to entertain that thought. She must return the Yukihira shirt. Erina banged on the door as hard as she could.

"Can't ya'll read the sign? WE'RE CLOSE..." Soma failed to finish his sentence as his eyes fell on the Totsuki princess. Erina noticed his expression change from annoyed to pleasantly surprised, which quickly lost all its pleasantness as his eyes darted towards Hayama.

A genuinely surprised Soma invited them in and offered them seats at a table near the kitchen. Erina didn't bother to sit at all; she went straight to Soma and practically thrust her packet in his hands.

"Your shirt." She whispered, making sure Hayama wasn't within earshot.

Getting a closer look, Erina didn't fail to register the bags beneath his eyes or the empty bento boxes scattered on the kitchen island.

She glanced back to see Hayama standing at the door, a puzzled expression on his face. Following her gaze, Soma looked at his other visitor.  
"Yo Hayama, won't ya come in?" He called out. "I wasn't expecting you at all. You liked my package? I thought you could put those to a better use..."  
Soma was cut off as Hayama came forward and extended his hand towards him. "Don't kill yourself," he finally said with steely eyes, "Hand them over."

Erina was baffled. She looked back at Soma to see that his entire carefree and casual attitude has vanished. She also managed to notice some other emotion in his eyes. Was it guilt? Was it fear?

Her eyes widened as Soma slowly put his hand in his left pocket and took out a cuboidal packet. Hayama extended his hands even further and snatched it away from the red-head's unwilling grasp. Erina finally managed to identify it as Hayama proceeded towards the front door. It was a pack of cigarettes.

Then Erina felt it inside her, a surge of anger that continuously went on inflating. But that wasn't all, there was another emotion too.

Betrayal.

Her eyes fell upon the boy in front of her, demanding an answer. But Soma kept his eyes down and lips shut. A mixture of shame and defiance emitted from his aura. Erina clenched her jaw; her right hand rose up on its own.

 _SLAP.._

The sound echoed through the silent restaurant.

Soma did not make any move to stop her. He simply stared at her, his eyes widened, not because of her actions, but because he saw her eyes water up. Those watery eyes bothered him more than her hitting him.

Those piercing golden orbs were too much for Erina to take, her rage subsided a little and humiliation took over her mind. She pushed him away, and ran upstairs, covering her face somewhat childishly. The red-head said nothing to stop her, his eyes just followed the blonde girl until she disappeared. His mind was now totally aware about the burning on his left cheek. His eyes fell on Hayama who was standing at the entrance. A thoroughly confused expression on his face, as his green eyes moved to and fro from the now departed girl and the red-headed boy.

* * *

At the Polar Star Dorm..

Fifth Seat Tadokoro Megumi was sharing grave news.

"I talked to Soma-kun last night, on the phone," she paused as the others present directed their undivided attention to her, "In spite of my every efforts and reasoning," she looked down, "he has declared that he won't be returning back to Totsuki."

Takumi Aldini dropped his head down, his hands gripping his forehead tightly. He had anticipated this, but he had hoped Tadokoro-san will somehow manage to alleviate this crisis. For the school, it was pretty big blow, but for the blonde Italian, it was devastating news. It was his rivalry with the phenomenal red-head that helped him push his limits. Without this culinary war between them, his ship will surely run into doldrums.

Ninth Seat Ibusaki Shun said nothing. He fisted the table, his drooping hair hiding his eyes entirely.

"Why?" called out Ikumi Mito, her eyes searching each face for an explanation. Takumi raised his head, he looked at Megumi expectantly.

"He came here to hone his skills so that one day he can surpass his father," surprisingly it was Shun who answered.

Megumi nodded and added, "He said nothing else matters to him now, he doesn't know what to do at the moment," her voiced choked up, "I... I'm sorry... I tried to reason with him. But he... he won't...," her eyes welled up, all the sadness that she was keeping inside burst out. Ikumi got up and put a hand on her trembling shoulder. Megumi looked at her with guilt-ridden eyes, "I failed."

* * *

Back at Diner Yukihira..

Hayama slowly walked towards his rival. In the meantime, Soma made an attempt to regain some of his composure.

"That darn nose of yours..," he said with half a smile, but the Spice King interrupted him.  
"I'm sorry for your loss, but this isn't what a First Seat is supposed to be doing."

Soma's jaws hardened, his eyes lit up in defiance. He took in a deep breath and asked curtly, "Why're ya here?"  
"I came to ask about Jun," Hayama was practically whispering now. Soma was taken off-guard, he failed to come up with a reply to this weird statement.  
"Today, I came to know that your father was Saiba Joichiro, a senpai of Jun's," Hayama continued, "I thought there was a slight chance of you knowing about her whereabouts."  
Soma was at a complete loss for words. For all those years he had known Hayama, the dark-skinned chef never showed any attachments towards his teacher/guardian, at least publically.

Hayama went on, "But it seems that I have caused a complication," his eyes were on the stairs. Soma followed his gaze, a little pain radiated through his body that had nothing to do with his left cheek.

"Go talk to her," continued the Spice King, as he began to walk towards the kitchen. Soma turned his gaze back to the speaker.

"Go," the Third Seat repeated, "I'll make tea." Soma nodded his head a little and began walking towards the staircase. He stopped and turned back, "The tea leaves are in..."  
"I know where they are," Hayama looked at him, a little smile on his face.

Soma gave a smile in return as he got on the stairs.

* * *

It's been a long time since Akira had been out of his dwelling. To be honest, until now, he had no reason to. After Jun left, he had little interest in anything else other than getting her back. Oh! How hard he tried. He left no stone unturned, but the Professor was nowhere to be found. She knew him too well, he often told himself.

Shiomi Jun had told him that she was holding him back. She couldn't keep him under her wings anymore. It was selfish. Akira did not entertain that thought. He had told her that whatever he has achieved till now, it was only because of her. He promised that he will be the best, only for her.

But nothing good came out of that discussion. A week later, Shiomi Jun vanished from the face of earth and a few days after that Third Seat Hayama Akira vanished from the face of Totsuki.

 _The price was steep, Jun._

A blaring horn of a car passing by the restaurant brought Akira out of his reverie. He had given up on Jun, until this morning when Nakiri Erina told him about Saiba Joichiro. That name gave him hope, a possibility, a stone he hadn't looked beneath. Yet, he could not push Soma for more info. The First Seat is struggling with his loss. For the first time, Akira felt something else than rivalry towards the red-head, for being totally alone is something the adopted boy could relate to pretty well.

He sighed as his nose guided him to his ingredients.

* * *

Erina had stopped crying and was looking through her texts to take her mind off things. She felt guilty for holing up in what appeared to be Soma's bedroom.

She hit send as she completed typing her message.

 _Hisako: Erina-sama, I'm not feeling well and would like to take a few days off. I'm really sorry for this. I'll try my best to return by your side as soon as I can.  
Erina: It is ok, Hisako. Please take good care of yourself and let me know if you need anything._

 _Erina: Did you hear about Soma-kun?_

 _Erina: I miss you Hisako, are you alright?_

 _Erina: I am beginning to get worried, Hisako. Things are getting out of hand here. I need you. Please let me know that you are alright._

Erina's phone pinged as her phone received a new message. She expected it to be Hisako, but it was from Tadokoro Megumi. Her eyes welled up again as she read through the text.

"Nakiri?" she heard Soma's voice from behind the door, "Can I come in?"

She slowly stood up and wiped her eyes to hide evidence. She took two deep breaths and said, "It's open."

* * *

 **Whoa, this was a long one. Looks like Soma's not the only one who has a tragedy. Erina isn't a heart of stone either. Hayama is cool, isn't he?**

 **Thus we have our trio, Totsuki's finest.  
Well, that's all for now. Please leave your reviews and don't forget to follow/favourite.  
See ya'll soon.**

 **Upcoming Chapter: Success & Failure  
~Signing off**


	6. Chapter 6: Success & Failure

**Hello folks, I'm back from the dead. Thank you everyone who have reviewed, followed & favourited. I'll personally reply to your reviews in the next update. Here's a new chapter as a New Year's gift.**

 **Danish translations**  
 _bedste ven_ : best friend _  
tæppe :_ blanket _  
kvinde:_ woman _  
begreb_ : concept.  
 _  
_ **Italian translations** _  
perché: w_ hy _  
signor_ : Mr.  
 _grazie_ : thank you

* * *

 **6 : Success & Failure**

The night before…

It was a phone chime that brought the white-haired maiden back to her senses. She had apparently dozed off. It took a moment before she could come up with a reasonable answer as to why the room as well as the bed seemed unfamiliar. Then it hit her.  
 _Where's Hisako?_

Alarmed, she got up as quickly as she could. The pink-haired girl was nowhere to be seen.  
"Hisako?" she called out, "Hisako?"  
Finally, Alice found her on the bathroom floor, trembling. Her clothes were a mess. It appeared as if she tried to rip them off.  
"Don't sneak away like that." She said kindly.  
"I…I…can't remember," croaked Arato Hisako, "How I got in here."  
Fourth Seat Nakiri Alice practically carried her cousin's _bedste ven_ back to bed.  
"This is getting out of hand," said Alice, as she covered the Eighth Seat with a _tæppe_ , "Doctor's chambers, tomorrow."  
Once the pink-head was tucked in, Alice rummaged through her bag to retrieve her cell phone. Then she stopped as it occurred to her that former Fifth Seat Kurokiba Ryo wasn't there waiting for her. She decided to sit beside Hisako.  
"Thank you," whispered the pink-head.  
"Try to get some sleep," said the Danish _kvinde_ , as she stroked the poor girl's hair, "I'm here." She smiled.  
Hisako closed her eyes.

 _I'm the only one she has._ Mused Nakiri Alice, as she allowed her eyes to well up. It's been two days since she started staying with her and the symptoms were still showing. Though the electroencephalograms showed no anomaly, Arato Hisako wasn't getting any better. Her health was deteriorating progressively. Alice briefly considered taking the pink-head to Denmark, where her father, Nakiri Sōe, could suggest better options.  
 _But Erina will figure it out.  
_ She rejected the _begreb_.

 _Erina-sama mustn't know.  
Erina-sama mustn't know. _Hisako's pleas rang through the Danish girl's head. She was stuck between a rock and a hard place. If only she could find a way to contact Ryo-kun.  
 _I'm not gonna fail you._ She thought as she closed her eyes.

* * *

Present time..

It's been almost a minute since either of them said anything. It was as if they were playing a game of silence, like the ones taught by kindergarten teachers in order to establish some sort of calm in a class full of chattering brats. A training program specifically designed in order to prepare the toddlers to the mute & complicated society where the most important notions go unsaid. A program, while successful in achieving its goal, is a failure in all other senses.

Nakiri Erina was still on the bed while the young man stood with his back against the closed door.  
"What was in that letter?" asked Nakiri Erina, conceding defeat.  
The recipient of that query just shook his head.

"More questions than answers," he finally replied. Nakiri Erina dipped her head and looked at the dust covered floor.  
"Do you intend to look for answers?" she finally asked.  
The red-head rolled his hands into fists.  
"And what would that achieve?" he shot back at her.  
The blonde had no reply. She looked back at him and wondered whether his question was meant for her or to himself.  
"Come back," she said, not trying to hide the plea in her voice, "You're the First Seat, for God's sake. Totsuki needs you," she bowed her head down, her hands grabbing the bed sheets tenaciously. "We need you," she added after a pause.

The last bit somehow managed to pierce through the red-head's armour of defiance. An emotion of some sort stirred throughout his entire being. He gestured towards the lady on his bed.  
"Totsuki can do better," he said.

His reply did not amuse Erina in the least. To hell with the game of silence, it was a stupid game to begin with. Anger swelled inside her again, a form of frustration one feels when the universe stops making sense. Nakiri Erina was a clever girl. She did not fail to see through the First Seat's poor attempt at humour and lock on to the real reason behind all this chaos.

"At least, your father gave you a wonderful childhood," she retorted.

Yukihira Soma's eyes widened. He wasn't prepared for this.  
"Most people aren't so lucky, you know." She concluded. Her eyes were blazing with rage, her voice higher than ordinary, and her tone vicious as the lady got up from her seat. The golden-eyed man was taken aback completely.

She approached the red-head and stood right in front of him, her eyes challenging him to prove her wrong.  
"Joichiro-sama did the best with what he was given. Look at my father, Yukihira." She was practically screaming now, "Look at what he did to my family, to me….to us." a single tear rolled down her left cheek, "I am damaged! I may never be able to recover in life," she wiped the tear off her cheek with brutal force, "And look at you," a sarcastic mirth escaped her lips, "You got everything, look how perfect you turned out to be."  
More tears streamed down her eyes, she gave up trying to wipe them away.  
"My father failed me, Yukihira Soma, while yours didn't. He succeeded in making your life wonderful. How dare you throw away a gift like that! How dare you blame your father for this!"  
She was panting, totally out of breath now.

Yukihira Soma felt like he was struck with a thousand needles at the same time. He still couldn't muster enough strength within himself in order to use his voice. His mind was confused. He never saw the Ice Queen lose control, not even once in his life. This was too much to process for his already weakened state of mind. Unexpectedly, a sense of sympathy surfaced in the cesspool of his thoughts.

Nakiri Erina swore she could feel the walls around the red-head crumble. She was never good with facial expressions, but when she saw his face she knew that she had said too much. His face was contorted with pain, his jaw hard, his eyes glistened; she covered up her mouth and slowly receded to the bed where she sat down again.

"Why do you care?" he finally found his voice.

"Because now I know." She replied softly.

"Know what?" he asked.

"He sent you to Totsuki, for me." She said as she dipped her head down again.

Soma slid down the door and sat down on the floor. He took a moment before he spoke up.

"I didn't do anything for you, Nakiri," he finally broke the silence, "I said that I didn't care about your family issues," he looked at her, "I did what I thought was the right thing to do."  
"I know…" Erina allowed herself a little smile, "and that's what made the difference." She continued, "And that's why I care." She watched as another wave of emotions washed over the man's face, but she couldn't fathom what he was feeling. She was never good with faces. Deep inside her mind, she wondered whether her face reflected the same. There was something that clicked inside her, much like the feeling one gets when one guesses the exact answer to a question. It's like being sure of the validity of the answer but not as sure as to how one obtained the said answer. She was confused. But a sense of deep satisfaction reverberated through her consciousness. She wasn't as cold as she thought she was, she was certain.  
"I can't…" his voice broke, "I can't go back. I can't…be the First Seat…." Yukihira Soma was looking at his injured hand, it was shaking.

Erina's eyes softened.

"I know." She said. He looked at her, helpless.  
"I know," she continued, "that you have stopped cooking. You're not eating, you're not sleeping," her voice could not conceal the twinge of concern.

"That's why," Soma replied, somewhat composed now, "I can't go back. I'm not worth all this trouble."

Amethyst eyes found gold.  
"I'm done, Nakiri."

 _It isn't fair._ She thought.

"You become the First Seat." the red-head concluded, pocketing his hands, trying to instill a little cheerfulness, "Like you always wanted to. Lead the others. They look up to you."  
She let out a sigh. The moment of peace was temporary after all. The battle was far from over. Bitterness invaded her mind again.

"Screw the First Seat," she said in a low voice.  
"What?" asked a startled Yukihira.  
"Screw the Elite Ten." Her voice elevated gradually, her tone dead serious. "Let this be clear, Yukihira-kun. If you quit, I'm quitting too." She crossed her arms resolutely.

The red-head closed his eyes as he let her words sink in.  
"Are you crazy, Erina?" he held his forehead with his uninjured hand as his face showed heavy signs of irritation, "How can you throw away your career?" he yelled.

"What career?" It was now Erina's turn to scream. "You were the one who reminded me why cooking was fun. Or have you forgotten that?"  
"I didn't forget," defended Soma.

"YOU," she pointed a finger at the man in front of her, "were the reason why I went up against..against..Nakamura Azami!"  
The red-head was rendered speechless again. She never referred to her father like that.  
"So, it's a crime if I do it?" she went on, "But it's all hunky-dory when you give up and leave? What kind of double standards is that?" At this point, she was almost hysterical. "So, you don't want to cook, you don't want to be the First Seat. Here's a newsflash for you Soma, I DON'T CARE! There's more to you than cooking and I will NOT stand by and see you slow-poison yourself to death."

Yukihira Soma had never been the recipient of such hollers in his life. Every word she said felt like hammer strikes. He observed that she was flushed and out of breath. For a moment, he almost bought it. But now he could clearly see through all this façade. She wanted him to get riled up. She wanted to ignite a fire within his burnt out bones. He mentally commented that this was very admirable of her. A part of him even yearned to listen to her. But Yukihira Soma was a clever man and he knew that it was all an act. She couldn't possibly do this to herself. It was only a matter of time before he called her bluff.

He got up and walked to his nightstand, well aware that her eyes were following him. He poured a glass of water from a jug and walked back to the bed, sat beside her and said, "Here you go."  
Erina made no comment and emptied the glass in one go. The red-head waited for her to retrieve her bearings.  
"Go home, Nakiri," he said with a little smile on his face, "It's getting late."  
Erina studied Soma's face for a while.  
"You think I'm lying," she said flatly.  
"It was very kind of you," replied Soma, "But I don't think I'm ever gonna go back. Don't spoil your future prospects for a plebian like me."  
With that, the red-head got up and went to open the bedroom door. He was about to turn the door knob when he heard her voice.  
"Driver, head back home."  
Soma whirled around and saw her speaking to her cell.  
"Tell Grandfather that I'm going to call and explain later."

"What the hell are you doing?" howled Soma.  
Erina said nothing. She just sat there on his bed. A profound sadness reflected from her face.  
"Get up, Nakiri. I'll take you home. This has gone on long enough," said Soma as he walked to his wardrobe to retrieve his jacket.  
 _It's now or never._ Thought Erina.  
"I am ready to throw away everything," he heard her say from behind; he stopped rummaging through his clothes, "Right now, this instant. But I won't leave you like this."  
"Don't do this. Don't waste your life for someone like me." He said. The red-head refused to face her.  
"Someone like you? Are you really that dense or do you like to pretend that way?" asked Erina.  
No reply came back.  
"It took some time on my part, I apologize for that." She said as she got up from the bed and walked towards him. Still, he refused to say anything.  
"You won me over a long time ago, Soma-kun. I am the one who took too long to realize it. But now that I know, I will do what I feel is right."  
She stopped behind him, waiting for a reply.  
"What if I don't feel the same way?" The red-head said quietly, his back still towards her.  
The blonde nodded her head and said, "Then it won't matter to you what I do with my life. I promise that I won't be a nuisance to you and will leave when you get better."

Soma turned around and grabbed Erina by her shoulders. He looked her straight in the eye and said, "Of course, it'll matter to me. Never say otherwise."  
In return, Erina gave him a small smile.  
The red-head loosened his grip over her and said, "Please Erina, don't do this to yourself."  
The amethyst eyed beauty cupped Soma's face and said, "I could ask for the same thing."

* * *

At a cafe near Totsuki…

"You ever met Yukihira's father?" asked Ikumi Mito, as she sipped her coffee. Her question seemed to interrupt the blonde Italians train of thought.

Takumi Aldini said, "I wish I had." He looked at his cup and found it empty. "It's too late for that now," he said as he reclined back into his chair.  
"Here," said the Meat Maestro as she extended her cup, "You can have mine."  
Senior Aldini only raised his eyebrows in response.  
"Don't like coffee much," replied the Seventh Seat.  
Takumi shrugged and relieved her from her cup. They passed a couple of minutes in silence.  
"I thought you were gonna ask me to try some of your recipes," Ikumi broke the silence, "Wasn't aware that you do this kinda stuff too," she said as she gestured towards the cups.  
Aldini only smiled and nodded in response. But Ikumi didn't fail to notice his smile falter.

"Let's have a Shokugeki," declared the blonde lady, all of a sudden.  
Sixth Seat Takumi Aldini almost choked on his coffee. Ikumi allowed him a moment to compose himself.  
" _Perché_?" he finally blurted out.  
"Because I want to," she simply replied.  
"I…I…" was all he could say.  
"What's wrong?" she said as she tilted her head, "Am I not challenging enough?"  
"I didn't say that," was his sharp reply.  
"Great," she clapped her hands together, "Let's finalize the terms & theme."  
"Mito-san," he said, "Let us not."  
"Hear me out," she replied with urgency, "If you win, I will take up your Elite Ten workload and pull a few strings to get you a few days off."  
Takumi Aldini was confused.  
"I don't need..," he began.  
"That way," the green-eyed lady continued, "You can go to Italy & visit Isami-kun."  
The blue-eyed Italian was dumbfounded.  
"I…I see." He finally said.  
"I'm not done," she said, "If I win, you'll have to quit your RS & join my Don RS."  
"That's never going to happen," he said instantly.  
"Show me then," she extended her hand, "Do we have an accord?"  
He shook her hand. Ikumi noticed a steely resolve in his blue eyes.  
"I'll text you the other details tonight," she said as she got up, "See ya, _signor_."  
Takumi smiled & waved her goodbye. His eyes followed her until she exited from the cafe.

 _He needs a fight._ Thought Mito Ikumi as she walked towards her apartment, smiling inwardly. She walked a few blocks, debating internally on what theme to choose for the Shokugeki. She finally decided on one just as she reached her apartment entrance. As she reached to unlock her door, her cell buzzed. It was a text message, with only one word.  
 _  
Grazie._

* * *

 **Well, that's all for now. Please leave your reviews and don't forget to follow/favourite.  
See ya'll soon.**

 **Upcoming chapter: And Then There Were Two**  
 **~Signing Off**  
 **SibylStorm**


	7. Chapter 7: And Then There Were Two

**Hello everyone, I am back with another update. Thank you to the readers who have favourited/followed and a bigger thank you to all those who have reviewed. Hope you enjoy this update. This is a long one.**

Author's Notes: I believe that an apology is in order for my long period hiatus. I am sorry. To be honest, 2016 was a very difficult year for me. I had to deal with severe setbacks in both personal and professional aspects of my life. Besides that, I had a lot of complaints about how the SnS manga was proceeding. All of these factors led to my complete unwillingness to write anything at all. But on a certain day, due to some reason or the other, I came upon all your reviews. All that positivity gave me the strength to squeeze out one more chapter out of my skull. I am grateful to you. Now regarding my writing, I am a slow writer. I write and rewrite the same things again and again until I find a draft that I feel is suitable enough. It takes a huge effort on my part to write up a whole new chapter. Days of tugging on my hair, banging my head on the wall results in an update. But your warm reviews are greatest reward that one can ask for. You are the reason why I keep going.

I hope the above words answer your query about updates: **MichaelThao24, Spaded Ace18, Papitas Yumi, Yassuo, Mikazuki Mitsukai, esrollano, SsinofPride.** Thank you for sticking with me.  
But enough about me. Let's move on.  
It's been some time since I came back to this website and finally when I did I was blown away. The community has grown so much. I managed to go through a few early chapters of different writers and I loved them. So many talented folks are working their asses off to deliver quality content to us. For those who haven't read them, I'd like to suggest a few stories.  
 **Misunderstanding** by **Laury Rose**  
 **Nouvelle** by **Zancrow**  
 **The Apathy of Cooking** by **Denshakuro**  
 **Nisegami** by **Kishoto**  
I only managed to go through a few. That too only the early chapters. I am gonna go through them once I'm done with my fic. I know there are even more treasure troves. For now, I suggest you guys to follow these (If you haven't read them already). They are awesome.  
Finally, I urge the members of the community to come up with more stories so that we can take this forum to the top.  
Now for the replies,  
 **Ridwan-Sama:** Soma had taken up smoking. It interferes with the olfactory system. Other than being a deadly addiction, it is also death to a chef's career.  
 **Petite Rveur** : Two new chapters are up since you last reviewed. Thank you for the love.  
 **Jennosaur:** This is a very warm review. I am glad that you like it. I hope that the further chapters give you more late nights.  
 **Erina-fans:** For Erina, the fic is back in action.  
 **classic-phan:** Thank you very much.  
 **Kotonoha Mari-chan:** Thank you so much. This chapter is the longest yet.  
 **:** Thank you.  
 **WriterMushroom:** Thank you, I will check out your story very soon.  
 **that-girl-on-the-corner:** Both of your reviews felt amazing. Thank you for the support.  
 **Yveltal45:** Thank you, I will keep on updating.  
 **MonsieurCat:** Thank you for your kind words, Monsieur. More fluff is on the way.  
 **Hinate:** I love your reviews. I hope I'll be able to keep you even more engrossed in the future. Sorina forever.  
 **Justinsj5:** Thank you. I went through your stories & I found them well written. I think you should try your hand at writing an expansive story. All the best.  
 **JLgods01:** You're an absolutely incredibly kind person. Thank you.  
 **Eramis8:** I really like the way how you leave your chapter impressions as reviews. Thank you for both of them. It feels nice when a writer is appreciated.

Thank you to all the Guest reviewers. You guys are amazing. A special shoutout to **Blackflash:** Thank you for your beautiful words. I'll try to be even better.

Lastly to  
 **Demon Damian:** You have been there with me since I uploaded my first chapter. Thank you for your continuous support. I promise that I'll try to finish this story as soon as I can. P. S. I type on my mobile too. It's annoying as hell. Please keep on reviewing.

* * *

 **7: And Then There Were Two  
**

 **Italian translations** _  
carne:_ meat _  
signor:_ Mr. _  
invite:_ invitation _  
ciao:_ bye

* * *

At Diner Yukihira...

"Hayama left?" asked a bewildered Soma.  
"It seems so," replied Erina as she inspected the empty restaurant.  
Erina walked to the kitchen island and picked up a piece of paper that was placed under a half-filled cup of tea.  
"He left his number," she said, as she read the digits on the paper, "For you, I guess."  
The red-head took the piece of paper from her, in doing so he noticed two filled cups of tea placed beside the cup the blonde was talking about.  
"We did take up a lot of time," he concluded with a twinge of guilt.

"That we did," she concurred.  
"He could've just come up & knocked," he said, shrugging.  
"Good thing he didn't," replied Erina half-mindedly. She appeared to be deep in thought. It occurred to Soma that she was least bothered about the whereabouts of the Spice King.  
"Where's the refrigerator?" She asked.  
"The blue one, beside the oven," the red-head pointed to the other side of the kitchen. Erina took out her cell phone. She dialed a number, while she walked to the fridge. With her free hand, she opened it and examined its contents. In the meantime, Soma transferred the now cold cups of tea to the sink.  
"You ready to go?" he asked once he was done.  
"Soon," she replied, "I think Grandfather is busy, I'll leave him a text." She got busy with her phone again.  
"You don't need to wait for the car, I've got a moped," Yukihira proposed hastily, "I can give ya a ride." He paused. "If you want to," he added.  
Erina didn't look up, but the light emitting from the phone screen revealed that she was smiling.

"Since when did you get so jumpy in my presence?" she said, as she looked at the screen while typing with both thumbs.  
Soma settled down on a chair near the kitchen island.  
"Since you went full berserk on me," he replied. He closed his eyes and shook his head as the echoes of her screams flowed through his consciousness.  
Erina put away her phone and nodded apologetically.  
"I'm sorry about that," she said matter-of-factly, "You gave me no choice."

"I'm gonna get my keys," said Soma, as he got up from his chair. Erina watched him climb the stairs.

"Why don't you get me an apron instead?" called out Erina. The red-head stopped in his tracks.

"Again?" he asked wearily. He was already halfway up.

"You need to eat," said the blonde, "Now," she continued, "I saw three batches of frozen eggs in there," she pointed towards the refrigerator, "Which one's workable?"

"The first one's from two weeks ago," replied the red-head, slightly exasperated, "I'm not sure about the other two." With that, he disappeared from blonde's range of sight.

By the time Soma returned, Erina had already taken out the eggs & removed their shells. The rice was already boiling. She had also managed to dice some onions & was currently looking for something in the cupboards. The current owner of Diner Yukihira took a moment before making any comments.

"Now I've seen everything," he said. The current chef of Diner Yukihira turned towards him, took the apron from him & muttered, "Thank you." As she put the apron on, she asked, "Do you have any asparagus?"

Soma shook his head.

"Thought so," she commented, slightly thoughtful. She began to roll her hair into a bun.

"The Queen of Gourmet, Nakiri-ojou sama," said Soma in a lofty voice, "making Tendon," he raised his hands for dramatic effect.

Nakiri Erina pursed her lips. She turned back to her chopping board & began dicing again. A moment later, from the corner of her eye, she saw his hand on the kitchen slab, a few inches away from the chopping board.

"Soma-kun," she whispered, now well aware that he was within hearing distance, "I'm glad that you're joking again." She paused as she completed dicing the last piece. She put her hand on his. Her fingers traced the network of veins that adorned it.

"I truly am," she said, as sincerely as she could, then she gripped his hand tightly & looked him straight in the eye, "But never ever call me ojou sama again." Her eyes darted back to the chopping board as she let go of him.

"I won't forgive it," she added as she turned her attention to their dinner. The red-head slowly receded from the kitchen area & decided to re-occupy his chair. It took Erina another ten minutes before she could start plating. In the meantime, the young man refrained from talking.

Finally, she arrived at his table with two steaming bowls on a tray.

"Chicken Egg Tempura Donburi," she announced, with a smirk on her face, "Yukihira Style." Soma chuckled in response and gestured her to sit down.

He thanked her & dug into his bowl without delay. She watched him close his eyes as his fine-tuned taste-buds absorbed every morsel of flavour. She waited for him to comment, but when none came she dug into her own portion, a little disappointed.

She closed her eyes and took her time to analyse her own creation. After a moment of thought, she concluded that it wasn't nearly as good as the one prepared by the man sitting across her, a couple of years ago. In comparison, this was, for the lack of a better word, limited.

She finally opened her eyes only to find Soma staring at her with the strangest of expressions on his face. He was done eating as proven by his empty bowl.

"I'm sorry," said Erina in a low voice. In response, the brows above the golden eyes went up higher.

"For earlier," she explained, "The last thing I want is you turning into one of them."

"I understand," he replied. His eyes darted towards the kitchen island, an expression of longing lingered on his face. He wanted it back. He couldn't bear being away from the one thing that mattered to him most. Gradually, his eyes darted back to the blonde who was eating silently.

 _One of the things.  
_ He mentally corrected himself. Then it struck him. The full extent of the present and the predicted future to which it led to. What if he had lost his touch permanently? A single thought so terrifying, it plagued the unfortunate man's entire being. He was terrified to find out what lay behind that curtain. What if he could never impress her with his cooking? If that goal is lost forever, what was even the point of going down the same road? A road that leads nowhere in particular. The journey was over.  
For him, it was better not to try at all.

 _Leave while they're still laughing._ That seemed the most appropriate way for him. He looked at the kitchen again. But he knew deep within himself, he missed it.

"Food for your thoughts?" Erina's question brought him out of his reverie.

"Huh?" he needed a moment to rearrange his thoughts, & then he remembered that he did have something substantial to ask her.

"Was the meal okay? I know it isn't…," Erina began while pointing her chopsticks to his bowl when she was interrupted by the red-head.

"Why didn't you challenge me?" he asked.

"Challenge?" Erina was confused.

"When they gave me the First Seat, I expected you'd battle me for it." he explained.

Erina didn't say anything. She calmly took their bowls, got up from her seat & walked towards the sink. Soma waited for a few seconds before deciding to follow her.

By the time Soma reached her, the blonde was already busy washing the dishes.

"Let me," said Soma, but the blonde shook her head. They passed a minute in peace.

"I couldn't," she said, finally.

"Of course, you could," said Soma, while nodding his head, "& I would've accepted."

"I didn't want to," confessed Erina, "You deserved it."

"I don't understand," was his reply.

Erina washed her hands clean and wiped them dry with a towel offered by the red-head.

"You were the reason why I went against my father," she explained, as she handed back the towel to Soma. "Without you, I might've never joined the rebels," she lowered her head, "Without you, I would've never rediscovered the joy of cooking. Without you..." she covered her face up, "I could've ended up with nothing. The Second Seat is more than enough..."

But the blonde couldn't finish her sentence. A strong pair of hands grabbed hold of her shoulders & pulled her into an embrace. Her nostrils were instantaneously filled up with a strong musky scent that strangely reminded her of sandalwood. Her body welcomed the warmth that radiated from the red-head's chest & surely enough, her hands involuntarily wrapped around him.

"You were gonna cry again," she heard him speak, his lips were barely above her eyes, "You've cried enough today," he continued, "And to be honest, I don't think I'll be able to handle any more tears."

The last comment managed to elicit a dry chuckle from the blonde. Yukihira Soma found it fascinating.

"So the only way to get the great Yukihira Soma to admit defeat is to cry buckets in front of him?" asked Erina as she looked at his face.

Then he laughed. And he laughed for a long time. His care-free attitude seemed to pour out of him by means of his laughter. For Erina, it somehow painted a picture of rushing water pouring down a river once the weirs are lifted. She could feel his body relaxing. It won't be wrong to say that she felt a little pride for herself. Taking care of others was something totally foreign for the blonde dame. She was really doubtful whether she'd be any good at it. This was one of the primary reasons behind her decision to not to get too close to anyone. She felt that the deficits in her emotional capacity & her lack of any measurable amount of empathy would haunt her for as long as she lived. Any kind of romantic entanglement was a far-fetched dream.

But the red-head came into her life & blew away all the figurative bonds that had imprisoned her, one by one. That's what made Soma special. The man had no limitations.

"Look how far you've come," said the red-headed, once he was done chuckling, "All that time spent on romantic mangas did pay off."

In response, the blonde tilted her head & smirked.

"Honestly, I'm impressed," said Soma, now smiling as well. With his finger, he traced a line along her jaw. The effect was instantaneous. Second Seat Nakiri Erina closed her eyes while her cheeks showed shades of pink.

"I've missed these blushes," said Soma, his finger resting under her chin.

Erina felt an insurmountable amount of happiness until the rude buzz of her cell phone interrupted them.

"Your car's arrived?" asked Yukihira Soma, a little disappointed.

"Hmm," was her reply, equally disappointed. She felt his hands free her from his embrace. She held on to them with her own.

"Get some sleep," she said, "I'll come back tomorrow by 11 AM."

"Don't you have Council work?" he asked her.

 _Dammit._ Thought Erina. She took a moment before answering his query.

"By 12 PM," she announced. Soma smiled & nodded. Erina hugged him one last time before saying goodbye. He accompanied her till they reached her vehicle. Erina waved her hand goodbye as the car took off.

He waited on the street until the car disappeared from his line of sight.

* * *

Two days later,

At Totsuki's Hall of Chandra…

The crowd roared with cheers as the results of the Shokugeki were displayed on the digital screen.  
"3-2!" Fifth Seat Tadokoro Megumi heard someone yell from the spectators, "That was close!"

The blunette smiled.  
 _It was indeed._

A large crowd had turned up to witness the epic contest between two Elite Ten giants and they were not disappointed. This was one heated battle. But the Italian had finally managed to clinch victory. But, as it was evident from the disappointed faces of the members of the Don RS, the triumph wasn't easily earned.

"They'll be talking about this match for months," commented Ninth Seat Ibusaki Shun, who was sitting beside the blunette. She smiled but said nothing. Instead, she waved her hands at the two blondes, who bowed and waved back.  
"They've inspired a lot of people today," Megumi stated, "With the Autumn Elections coming up soon, the first years needed a boost like this."  
The Prince of Smoke nodded in agreement.  
"As per the agreement of both parties," the voice of the announcer, Kawashima Urara boomed across the hall, "The terms of the Shokugeki are being kept under covers."  
A groan of disappointment emanated from the crowd. Most of them had anticipated that this battle was going to involve the Elite Ten seats. A few had hoped that this would decide the fate of the two respective Research Societies. A number of them booed the pretty announcer, who was slightly taken aback by the sudden annoyance of the crowd.  
But all this was soon drowned by the cheers of the members of the Italian Cuisine RS. Their leader had performed phenomenally. They screamed with joy as they waved their flags of support. Takumi Aldini waved at them which made them only scream louder.

As both the participants departed from the centre stage, the crowds filed out gradually.

Tadokoro Megumi slowly got up from her seat.  
"We have a Council Meeting in about an hour, Ibusaki-kun." She said as she straightened her uniform.  
"I'll be there," replied the young man, "You go on ahead. I'll join you later." His eyes still shrouded by his hair as he remained seated.  
Megumi nodded. She was used to these eccentricities. She'd witnessed it for the millionth time by now. He was itching to get back into the frontlines. The match had fired up his fighting spirit. She smiled inwardly as she made her way towards the exit. While doing so, her eyes instinctively went up to the southeast wall of the venerable hall, where the portrait of Yukihira Soma was displayed along with all the other previous First Seats.

Her bubble of jubilance vanished almost instantly. As she tore her topaz- coloured eyes away from the elusive red-head's portrait, she wondered if she would be able to persuade the other Elite Ten members to let it remain there for a little longer.

Lost in her thoughts, she walked into the sunlight and made her way to the Polar Star dorm.

* * *

At the same time…

"Congratulations," said Seventh Seat Mito Ikumi, as they walked along one of the corridors of the esteemed Hall of Chandra.  
The blonde man, deep in thought, only nodded in response.  
"You've come a long way," he finally said.  
"Ain't limited to _carne_ anymore, _signor,_ " she replied.  
Takumi Aldini stopped in his tracks, turned towards her and bowed.  
"But to choose 'Desserts' as a theme," he proclaimed, "That takes guts."  
The Meat Maestro chortled.  
"Ever the dramatic one, aren't ya?" she said.  
"Have to live up to my reputation." Senior Aldini smiled.

They walked together for a while.  
"Go celebrate with your RS," said Mito Ikumi, with a tone that was evidently softer in comparison to her persona, "They aren't gonna see you for a while." They stopped near the exit.

" _Si_ ," he replied.  
"Well, this is it," the blonde lady extended her hand towards him. He shook it.  
"Good match," she said, her eyes observing the verdant fields outside. She looked back at him.  
"Have fun in Italy," she continued, "Say 'hi' to Isami-kun on my behalf."  
"Don't need to," he smirked, "You can do that on your own."  
"Come again?" asked the green-eyed lass, wide-eyed.  
"This is an _invito,_ " his blue eyes twinkled as he explained.  
"I…I…" for once, the outspoken heir of the Mito clan, was speechless.  
"I'll take that as a yes," he waved his hand, "See you at the Council. _Ciao._ " And with that, he was gone.

She allowed herself a smile. Her eyes swept over the green fields again. It was strange, but she could swear that they appeared even greener.  
 _Damn, he's smooth.  
_ Her inner voice spoke up.

* * *

That morning…

Yukihira Soma sat on his bed with a confused expression on his face. His eyes were fixed upon the alarm clock on his nightstand. It was 10:26 AM. There was no denying it. For the first time in months, Yukihira Soma had overslept.  
He shrugged and shook his head in disbelief. To be honest, his relationship with sleep had always been casual, almost to the point of non-existence over the last few days. But, here he was with undeniable proof. His rebound encounter with slumber had taken a solid eight hours out of his life. But, in his defence; he did stay up late last night, texting a certain blonde magnificence.

 _She's gonna be here soon.  
_ As soon as he realized it, he sprang up from his bed. Second Seat Nakiri Erina was rarely late. He had a lot of work to do and not a lot of time. He began to look for his toothbrush.

 _A lot of evidence to erase._ He thought as images of extinguished cigarette butts flashed across his mind. He found what he was looking for and he began brushing with abundant speed.

Once he was done with his chores and internally satisfied that nothing was out of order, he descended down the stairs with a bottle of Magic Cleaner on one hand and a cleaning cloth on the other. This was also part of his morning routine. Since a certain lady began frequenting his abode; Yukihira Soma had taken it upon himself that he will keep it spick and span.  
 _This is all that I'm good at.  
_ He told himself as he wiped the empty tables, grimacing internally. Within half an hour, he was done. He had also discovered two burnt out cigarette butts and he wasted no time in disposing of them. Mentally berating himself, he retrieved the list of ingredients that his paramour had requested and in no time he was out of the restaurant.

* * *

At the Council Room…

Tenth Seat Arima Sora was the only one who had arrived on time. As he looked at his own reflection on the unbelievably polished table, a sense of purpose appeared to infuse within him. Being the only Second Year in the most prestigious as well as the most powerful organization of Totsuki meant that he was perennially intimidated. But that didn't mean that he wasn't thrilled. His seniors were part of the Jewels Generation. Not only that, after the Azami Episode, they were practically living legends. Being in the same room as they was like being in the presence of deities. He roughly shook his head sideways in order to get rid of these distracting thoughts and proceeded to maintain a calm demeanour.

The first to enter the room was Fifth Seat Tadokoro Megumi. She smiled at the Tenth Seat as she took her designated place. Arima Sora bowed but did not return her warm gesture. But that didn't seem to bother the blunette in the least. She took out a set of documents and began to peruse them. Arima spared a moment looking in her general direction. Though the other members of the Council seemed to reserve a sense of reverence towards their newest member, Arima Sora did not share the same view. He had always harboured a sense of hostility towards the blunette.

In retrospect, the Tenth Seat had to claw his way up the executive ladder; he had to snatch away his piece of glory from the fellow Second Years with the greatest of reluctance on their part. Whereas, according to him, the blunette's ascent was provided with unremitting support by the other members, especially the First Seat.  
Hence, the blunette did not command his respect.  
 _This is a race._  
Arima told himself.

Gradually, the other members entered the room and took their respective seats. The Tenth Seat stood up respectfully every time a member of the Elite Ten graced the room with his/her presence and did not sit down until he/she settled down.  
This particular habit of his earned him an amused look from the Fifth Seat every time. Today was no exception.

The last one to arrive was Second Seat Nakiri Erina, much to Arima Sora's surprise. He even couldn't stop himself from checking his watch. A gesture that was totally lost on the amethyst-eyed lass who looked thoroughly sleep deprived.

As Erina took her seat, she stifled a yawn. But as soon as she scanned the room, she saw the rest of them looking at her expectantly, especially young Arima, whose stare was particularly frustrating.  
She spared a glance to the empty seat beside her, which belonged to a certain red-head and the situation became clear to her.  
"Let us begin," she said, boredom practically dripping from her every word.

Arima Sora practically jumped up and began his speech, "Members of the Council, I thank you for coming here on such short notice. As you all are aware, the Autumn Elections are set to be held after the summer vacation. In light of that, I have gone through the list of 50 prospective candidates allotted to me and have chosen 10 among them." He paused as he put forward a set of documents to the middle of the table. "I believe they are worthy to represent Totsuki in the esteemed event." As he sat down, a sense of accomplishment reflected from his face.

"Thank you, Arima-kun," said Megumi, "Here are the candidates that I've chosen from my lot," she extended her nominations, "I believe there are 9."

After her, the Italian stood up and cleared his throat.  
"The Council recognises Sixth Seat Takumi Aldini," announced Arima Sora. Takumi ignored him and said, "I chose 7 from my set."  
Mito Ikumi stood up after him.  
"The Council recognises…" began the Tenth Seat.  
"Will ya stop that?" barked the Seventh Seat, which effectively shut the Second Year up.  
"I chose 7 as well," Ikumi concluded.

"That brings the total to 33," commented Nakiri Alice. Tenth Seat Arima Sora was about to speak up, but a death glare from the green-eyed blonde made him change his mind.  
"Out of mine and the invisible Third Seat's list of 70 students," the Fourth Seat went on with a hint of bitterness, "I chose 5."

"Only five?" asked Takumi Aldini, a little surprised.  
The Danish Nakiri only nodded in response as she gazed through the window, lost in her thoughts. It struck Arima Sora that this was unlike her. The Fourth Seat was one of the most vocal among them and yet she seemed least interested at the moment.

In the meantime, Ninth Seat Ibusaki Shun poured his set of sheets on the table and said, "10."  
Arima Sora risked a quick glance towards Mito Ikumi but regretted it instantly. He was being watched.

"Hisako-san hasn't recovered yet?" asked Tadokoro Megumi, concern evident from her face.  
"It appears so," the reply, surprisingly, came from Nakiri Alice, who seemed to have shifted her focus from the outdoors back to the meeting.

Erina looked at her best friend's empty seat as guilt began to build up within her. She was so preoccupied with Soma that all other concerns escaped her notice. She mentally chastised herself for being such a lousy friend.  
 _I need to visit her._ She thought.

"That makes the total 48," Erina finally broke her silence, as she went through the sheets others have selected.  
"Nakiri-sama," murmured Arima Sora, as he bowed his head which earned him another infuriated glare, this time from the blonde Italian.

"Since the First Seat wasn't available, I took the liberty of choosing candidates from both of our sets." Erina explained, "And I nominate 7."  
"Yukihira-senpai is quitting?" inquired the Tenth Seat, a wild expression peeping from the edges of his lips, an appearance that comes hand-in-hand with enormous ambition.  
"That is what I've heard," replied Erina; her tone barely concealing her annoyance.  
"Then a re-organisation of the Seats are in order," Tenth Seat Arima Sora appeared to be talking more to himself than to the others, "Perhaps a Rumble?" His eyes fell on the Second Seat and it instantaneously occurred to him that he had said too much.

"Of course, I mean…" he fumbled for the right words, "I mean Nakiri Erina-sama is most suited to be the next First Seat, but I recommend that the rest of us…," he gestured towards the other members, "…be given an opportunity to test our mettle as well." He concluded his proposal as his eyes scanned the faces of each of his seniors, his heart begging for some support.

But the others refused to say anything. Ikumi Mito made no attempt to disguise her irritation while Takumi Aldini looked blankly at the ornately decorated table, pretending not to hear the Tenth Seat. Nakiri Alice shifted her focus back to the window while Ibusaki Shun gently shook his head sideways. Tadokoro Megumi looked at the young Second Year with an expression of knowing.

Erina waited for any responses and when none came, she said with an inkling of mockery, "Thank you for your counsel, Arima-kun." Her sharp retort fell like acid rain on the Tenth Seat. Arima Sora shivered a little while Nakiri Alice displayed a toothed grin. The amethyst-eyed chef cleared her throat once before continuing, "As we haven't received any written confirmation from the First Seat, I propose that his Seat be allowed to remain vacant until further notice," she raised her hand, "All in favour?"

Arima Sora had never seen such unanimous support for a proposal.

"Speaking of the First Seat," began Tadokoro Megumi, once she put her hand down, "I have a proposition too."  
Her statement made all the other members lean in with interest, while in case of Arima, it only inflated his annoyance.  
"Megumi-san," interrupted Erina, "If you don't mind, we'll surely listen to your proposition with our fullest attention," she said kindly, "But let us be done with the nominations first."  
"Well, of course," replied Megumi, as she resigned back into her seat.

"As per my calculation, we have 55 nominations. We need at least 60," Erina continued, "Has anyone taken up Hisako's set of …"  
"Pardon the intrusion," called out a voice from the back of the room, a voice that wasn't heard in this room for months.  
Naturally, all heads turned towards the source of that voice. Pin-drop silence enveloped the room.  
"The Council…" Arima said, awe evident from his tone, "…recognises Third Seat Hayama Akira."  
The Seventh Seat Ikumi Mito was so engrossed with the Spice King that she forgot to rebuke Sora.

"I went through the remaining number of candidates," Hayama continued as if no one had interrupted him, "I nominate the following 9," he said as he walked to Erina and handed her a file.  
"That…" said Erina, her eyes still wide, "…makes it 64."  
Hayama nodded, "I'll leave the selection of the final 60 to you." He then proceeded to take his designated seat. He took out a stick of cinnamon and placed it near his nose, breathing in its heavenly scent. His eyes closed on his own.

"Then that's that," Erina declared, a hint of smile on her lips, while her hands collected all the sheets of paper.  
"Megumi-san, you were saying…?" broached Takumi.

Newly elected Fifth Seat Tadokoro Megumi took a deep breath and began, "As all of you are aware, we have gone through a traumatising ordeal at the end of our first year. The fact that we are able to sit here today is overwhelming proof that we have managed to overcome that crisis. We owe our victory to the bravery and talents of a number of individuals, some of whom who are lucky enough to be present in this very room. But the greatest credit goes to the one who had guided us…"

Erina watched Megumi as the blunette went on to explain the great contributions of a certain ever cheerful red-head. She agreed to the blunette's statements whole-heartedly. But as she listened on, a thought struck her. Tadokoro Megumi's admiration for the First Seat was on a whole new level.

As she pondered over her musings, Erina managed to deduce the reason behind it. It was Yukihira Soma who had recognised Megumi's talents even when the blunette doubted her own abilities. He even risked his career in order to prevent the blunette's expulsion, back when they were first years.  
 _And he believed in the right person._  
Erina thought of the time when Megumi defeated the Mad Dog Kurokiba Ryo. It was a wonder how many lives the red-head had touched and nurtured. Megumi reciprocated his faith in her by being one of the most talented students of the school.

 _What have I done for him?  
_ Unpleasant glimpses from the past invaded Erina's mind, memories of her trying to get Soma expelled; memories of her denying him admission. For the better part of their first year, she had been horrible to him. And yet he always came through for her, he was always there to uplift her. And he never asked anything in return. People are selfish by virtue. They do a good deed and expect better deeds in return. But the red-head was an exception. He did things because he felt that it was the right thing to do, he never thought of anything beyond that, he didn't need to.  
All these notions simmered within her and finally crystallized into a question that she was wondering for the last couple of days.

 _Do I deserve him?  
_ Sure, she had boasted that she was going to quit and be with him. Yet here she was, sitting on her high throne, a throne that she didn't truly deserve, while he was in his home, alone. She couldn't even act on her own word. What if in the future she fails to come through for him? What if she reverts back to her cold self and causes him even more pain? What if she stops adoring him?  
Her eyes darted back to the blunette. Erina marvelled the way the Fifth Seat talked about him with such passion. Maybe Soma needs someone wholesome and full of love like Megumi. He'd be happier.

 _I'm broken._  
"…that is why I ask the Council to let his portrait remain as it is, at least until the time we receive a written declaration." Megumi finished her speech.  
Her monologue was followed with a moment of silence.  
"Well said, Tadokoro-san," said Ikumi Mito, finally. Megumi smiled at her.  
"His portrait will remain untouched," declared Ninth Seat Ibusaki Shun.  
"We owe him that much." Surprisingly, it was Hayama who supplied that comment which turned a few heads towards him.

There were murmurs of agreement across the table.  
Erina looked at the blunette one last time before getting up from her seat.  
"Hope you all have a wonderful summer vacation," she said as she made her way to the exit. 

* * *

**That's all for now. I hope you liked it. Please don't forget to follow/favourite. And please review. I'll be waiting.  
Author's Notes: **To the writer **Intangibly Yours,** I really enjoyed **Kaleidoscope**. I wish that you continue this one-shot to a full-blown novel. The premise is well build and it would be a waste to let it remain unfinished. Thank you for your PM.

 **Upcoming Chapter: A Pursuit For Purpose.  
** **~Signing Off  
** **SibylStorm**


	8. Chapter 8 : A Pursuit for Purpose

**Hello everyone! I am back with another update.  
First of all, thank you for your kind reviews. The story has crossed 400 followers. I am overwhelmed. And guess what? This chapter is even longer.  
A/N: **1) I am aware that a number of my readers are not overly fond about the 'darkness' in my fic. I understand. I truly do and I respect your opinions. You see, I believe that the premise of my fic requires a certain amount of dark element. To me the best thing about 'Shokugeki no Soma' is the assortment of characters. Other than the MC, the side characters have been developed quite beautifully. Their perfections as well as imperfections, their beliefs and their insecurities make them worth relating to. Rather than toning them down to one-dimensional fillers, I intend to develop them and utilize them to the best of my abilities. Of course, Soma is my protagonist but it is his interactions with the above mentioned characters that makes him such a good one. Contrary to the manga, this fic will feel as if it was based in real life. That is my main goal as a writer.  
 **KaaitoYuuta,** I hope you understand me a bit better now.

2) I am also aware that the characters appear a bit OOC. I assure you that this is totally intentional. You see, it was my logic that Soma, Erina and the others are not 15 anymore. They have grown and their psyches have matured accordingly. They are on the cusp of adulthood and at the top of their fields as well. Of course the characters will retain a portion of their eccentricities but that is all. I hope you guys find my intentions reasonable.

3) In case it isn't clear, the story in italics at the beginning of the fic is the story that Soma's mother used to tell him when he was little. It is loosely based on an Indian folk tale that I have added into the plot of this fic. I had this idea a month ago and have decided to make this job a little more challenging. This is kind of an experiment that I intend to conduct to provide the readers with a higher quality of writing.  
 **  
**The replies:  
 **Aaurum:** Thank you. I'm sorry you had to wait this long. I hope you like this update.  
 **Deadly Sins Writer:** Aye aye, sir.  
 **classic-phan:** I'm a big Soma and Erina shipper too! Thank you for your kind words. Please keep on reviewing while I keep on writing.  
 **Eramis8:** Thank you for your review. I'm glad that you enjoyed the last chapter. I hope you like this one as well.  
 **MichaelThao24:** I hope my story is not too complicated. Check this chapter out and tell me what you think.  
 **Midnight May:** Thank you for pointing that out. It has been dealt with.  
 **JLgods01:** I apologize for the delay. I hope you enjoy this chapter as well. Thank you.  
 **ProCaptured:** It took some time but I finally managed to complete this. Enjoy!  
 **Deathgun07:** I thank you from the bottom of my heart for writing such a wonderful review. Yes, the lack of a serious element in the anime had always bothered me. That is why I took it upon myself to create a story where I can use the characters of the anime and pit them against the ruthless and cruel world that we live in. That was my goal. Thank you for recognizing my driving force. I hope the following chapter entertains you. Cheers!  
 **Coarvus:** I'm sorry that it took so long. Thank you for your high praise. I hope you enjoy this addition as well.  
 **Thorngal:** I appreciate your kind words. Thank you!  
 **Mark Sevy:** Thank you.  
 **yuri kagami:** I have explored Erina's insecurities in this chapter. Please let me know how it is.  
 **Intangibly Yours:** First of all, congratulations! I had no idea that you were engaged. I wish you a happy life ahead. Thank you. I really liked your review. I am really glad that you appreciate the dark turn. As I have explained in my A/N, I want a story where the characters feel real. And regarding your advice. I will keep that in my mind. I have read your story and I really enjoyed it. Your story felt very real to me. Please keep on writing such beautiful chapters. I'm especially glad that my words prompted you to update. Cheers and good luck.  
Lastly,  
Hey **Demon Damian,** I did put out a healthy portion of what you wanted. Check it out.  
A big thank you to all the guest reviewers.

* * *

 **8: A Pursuit for Purpose**

 **Italian translations:** _  
Per favore, hai un posto_ : Please, have a seat.  
 _Un momento_ : A moment.  
 _Affettati misti_ : Italian Cured Meat Platter.  
 _specialità_ : speciality  
 _Scusami_ : Excuse me. _  
Il corso principale_ : The main course.

* * *

 _Where the earth is red and nothing grows other than palm trees tall and short, where shallow streams flow through banks full of pebbles, there live the_ ** _santhals_** _, a people as simple as they are brave. Dark, smooth and shiny are their skins. Curly, black and thick hairs decorate their heads. Their arrows are sharp and they shoot straight. The rabbit hurrying through the ups and downs of the earth, the boar grunting its way through the bushes can vouch for their skill in archery.  
Jalpa was the leader of a tribe of santhals that lived on the bank of the biggest river flowing on the red earth. He had a son named Yala. After Jalpa, Yala was to be the leader of the tribe.  
"Yala is brave and a wonder with his arrow," said Jalpa to himself, "But that is not enough for someone who has to be the leader of the tribe."  
Jalpa was wise and with that wisdom he could predict that the future of the tribe was in danger. Nature has always rewarded the perseverance of hunters with plenty of bounties. But nothing is ever constant.  
Yala was strong and motivated but he was not wise. The tribe was his country and the river his ocean. Jalpa decided that Yala is not fit to be the leader...  
_

* * *

The night before..

Numerous inner conflicts were keeping the Second Seat awake for the major part of the night. 'Keeping awake' was merely an understatement. The blonde was literally freaking out. As she put her cell phone to the side, she laid flat on her bed, her eyes fixed on the ceiling, seeing nothing in particular. Her other hand unknowingly tugged on her side-burn. Weirdly, the sharp bursts of pain that it caused at a regular interval provided a small measure of relief.  
A small part of her heart was ridden with guilt. She shouldn't have lied to Soma. But with her mind in such a frenzied state, she felt it would be best if she excused herself out of their nightly chats, feigning a headache. She had no desire of bothering the unfortunate man with further psychological sewage. This was her burden to bear, her burden of insecurities that challenged every aspect of her knowledge about human relationships, a branch in which Nakiri Erina was woefully weak.  
 **Communication is the cornerstone of every healthy relationship**. Ironically, this was the title of a certain blog that the blonde was reading a while ago. But regrettably, after going through it, she had concluded that the title was the only piece of information that she could understand. Nevertheless, she realised that this was a totally foreign territory for her. The feeling of self-loathing that appeared hand-in-hand with this realisation didn't help her in the slightest. Somehow she envied Alice. Her white-haired cousin was more adept in this department. But Erina hardly sees her these days. Hisako has begun to ignore her calls as well. All this worry was crushing the blonde. She was at her wits end. Her only solace was the former First Seat and yet she refused to involve him. If she was going to consider the above mentioned article as a Gospel for Romance, then her relationship was fated to be doomed. Erina took a few deep breaths. After a brief fit of hopelessness, Erina surmised that no form of generic love tips was going to save the day. Her relationship is not normal. Yukihira Soma is not normal.  
At least the way he is now.  
Once that hole in her conscience was shoddily plugged, she moved on to the two other things that weighed on her mind like mountains.  
 _Am I good enough for him?  
_ Sadly, she knew deep within that no matter how hard she thought about it, she won't be able to come up with an absolute answer. Her brain would easily point out a thousand reasons stating that she is probably the worst person for him. And yet, he let her in. Against all logic, against all facets of common sense, he welcomed her with open arms. His attitude towards her had never changed since the day she met him. For the first time in her life, Nakiri Erina, with all her brains and beauty, failed to understand exactly what the former First Seat saw in her.  
The chime of her cell phone derailed her train of thought.

 _From: Soma  
I'm gonna go sleep now. Hope yer feelin' well. See ya tomorrow. Good night.  
_  
Her sense of guilt intensified. Her hands had reflexively begun to type a reply. But she stopped herself. Her last piece of distress had finally manifested itself and as a result all her motor functions stopped for an instant.  
 _Am I ready for this?  
_ She had saved the most terrifying question for the finale and to be honest, the amethyst-eyed lady had no idea how to resolve this. Fear washed through her entire being as stress piled up within her core. The logical side of her brain registered an oncoming panic attack. Yet, Nakiri Erina remained motionless. Her eyes darted back to her phone.  
 _He is surely waiting for a reply._  
But instead of typing one she turned off the screen, as if the black display could provide her with some kind of solution. Quite unexpectedly, the red-head's words echoed in her mind.  
 _"Don't spoil your future prospects for a plebeian like me."_  
The words had cut deep inside her. She wondered whether she knew anything about her future prospects. It was always her destiny to rule the culinary world. She had been told as such for as long as she could remember. For the major part of her life, she had wholeheartedly believed in that dream, even waited for that future with eagerness.  
But what now?  
Cooking and Soma had drifted poles apart.  
What should she do?

Nakiri Erina covered her eyes with her hands. To her overexerted mind, the dimly-lit room seemed brighter than a thousand suns. At that moment, she direly wished she could be as fearless and assertive as Soma. The man always knows exactly what needs to be done. Her restlessness finally overcame her immobility. She sat up and her eyes fell on a stack of papers on her left. She had completely forgotten about them!  
The assignment title "French Culinary Evolution: From _Cuisine du Potager_ to _Cuisine du Marché_ " was clearly visible to her. She had meant to complete it tonight. But how on earth did she shift from French cuisine to romance tips was a mystery. As she stared at her assignment with a look of bewilderment, she wondered whether it has ever occurred in the past.  
 _Never._  
For the first time in her life, Nakiri Erina had failed to maintain her perfect record.  
A calm smile spread on her lips as she stacked away the set of papers away from sight.  
 _I've changed.  
_ As soon as the thought had crossed her mind, a tendril of hope emerged out of nowhere.  
 _He will find a way for him.  
_ She will set him back to the right course. That's all she needs to do. She believed in him. Her Soma will do the right thing, as sure as the sun will rise tomorrow.  
 _He will find a way for both of us._

Her phone lit up soon enough and her fingers got to work.  
 _From: Soma  
I'm gonna go sleep now. Hope yer feelin' well. See ya tomorrow. Good night._

From: Erina  
See you tomorrow. Good night.

Her smile broadened when the app notified that her message has been read.

* * *

At the same time, 6000 miles away from Tokyo...

Seventh Seat Mito Ikumi was trying her hardest not to yawn. For the past several minutes, the blue-eyed man in front of her was droning on and on about bronze river gods and Apuan marble and frankly speaking she couldn't be less interested. Yet, she maintained a polite smile on her face as she let her eyes wonder about freely. Yes, even a person who knew nothing about art could appreciate the magnificence of the Fontana del Nettuno. The sheer amount of effort expended in order to create such a work of perfection was sure to make even the most stoic chaps go weak in their knees.

Just beside the Fountain of Neptune was the famous Palazzo Vecchio, the pride of Florence. With its crenellated tower, it overlooked the public square which was also known as the Piazza del Signoria.  
As Takumi had informed her, the Neptune fountain was only one of the nine major statues that adorned the square, much to the green-eyed chef's horror. She was trying her hardest to keep her hunger at bay. Her eyes periodically darted towards the western side of the piazza, where the restaurant Panini Toscani was situated.

The Meat Master let out a barely audible sigh as her eyes shifted back to her travel companion. Aldini senior was lost in his own little world. He even failed to notice that now his speech only comprised of Italian words with a little sprinkle of Japanese here and there rather than the other way round. Mito Ikumi simply shook her head as she displayed a toothed grin.

They were supposed to head straight to his trattoria from the airport. But halfway towards home, the Sixth Seat changed his mind and lo and behold here she was. Her predicament was so unexpected that her mind failed to come up with a decent protest. At first she was taken aback, but gradually she noticed the subtle changes in his aura. As if the very air of Florence had painted signore Aldini with a new shade.  
 _Even he talks differently now._

Ikumi made a mental note while she internally debated whether it would be too obscene if she grabbed him by the collar and dragged him to the restaurant.  
"And now," she looked up as she heard him speak to her, "We move towards the southern side," the Italian extended his right hand, "To the Statua del David."  
 _Oh no.  
_ Her groan went unnoticed.

* * *

The next morning, 400 miles away from Tokyo...

Fifth Seat Tadokoro Megumi flexed her fingers repeatedly. Her right hand had fallen asleep. She was watching a movie on her cell phone. Maybe her hand went full unresponsive for holding the phone up for so long. She glanced out of the window as she stuffed her cell back in her handbag. A station was approaching and gradually the train came to a halt. The blunette registered the name of the station as Shimizugawa.  
 _Alright, one more stop._

She began checking her belongings lest she leave anything behind. Halfway through the process, she remembered that she had already performed this ritual when the train stopped at Karibasawa. Mentally berating herself, she sunk back into her seat.

 _Old habits die hard.  
_ But in her case, it was possible that her old habits may as well outlive her. She closed her eyes as she brought her hands close to her face and blew warm air into them. A sense of comfort ran through her upper body. Temperature had been steadily dropping since the train left Hachinohe station. In the meantime, the blunette had to unpack her heavy winter-wear. It's going to be absolutely freezing in her town. But she had come prepared. The train was mostly empty now. Around ten people remained in her compartment as the train left Shimizugawa. Tadokoro Megumi paid no heed to the others. She was coming home to her beloved ryokan. She was happy. She missed out last year since she was swamped with Shokugeki challenges. Finally, she had made it back. But a pang of guilt remained within her mind. She had left the dorm this morning without any prior intimation to her dorm mates. Only the dorm mother, Daimido Fumio knew.

Megumi felt especially bad for not bidding goodbye to the Ninth Seat. The Prince of Smoke Ibusaki Shun was a night owl and she didn't want to hassle him during his much needed morning rest. The Goddess Hestia of Totsuki had never put her needs before the well-being of others. That's the kind of person she was and that's how she intended to remain.  
To be honest, the dorm was starting to haunt her. This was the only reason behind her rushed escape. Over the last few days, the dorm had gone eerily quiet and the reason was apparent to anyone. It was as if somebody had stabbed the beating heart of the Polar Star Dorm. This unexpected transition was too much for the blunette to bear. She was losing her will to fight. She needed to run away.

She pulled out her cell again and opened her contacts. Her fingers stopped when the name Soma came into view. She paused for a while, as flashbacks from their last conversation echoed in her mind.  
His voice had sounded so bleak, so hopeless that it made her cry. It was unimaginably painful for her. She had begged him to come back, she had pleaded with him to let her go see him. But it was all in vain.  
She put her cell back into her bag. She wouldn't be able to bear listening to his broken voice again. This is not the way she's going to remember the red-head. Not now. She wasn't ready for this.

She got up from her seat as the train slowed down beside Hiranai station. The doors slid open and she alighted from the train. The familiar cold air sent chills down her spine. But she smiled.  
 _I'm home._

* * *

In the afternoon...

Erina woke up with a jolt. The sudden motion almost made her fall from what appeared to be a bed. As her eyes focused back to a hundred percent clarity, she registered that she was in Soma's room, lying on his bed. She was alone. For an instant, she was utterly confused. It took some time before her memories arranged themselves in the proper order. Bit by bit she figured out the whys & hows.

They were talking.

No, he was talking and she was watching him. She kept staring at his face while he went on from one topic to the other, finally settling on recounting a story his mother used to tell him when he was little. Surprisingly, he remembered it in great detail. But the blonde was too focused on the speaker's eyes rather than his words. She admired the way his golden orbs lit up as he strummed the strings of his memory and tried his best to articulate the emanating tunes eloquently. Nostalgia has its own form of joy and Erina was rediscovering that time-proven fact yet again. Internally, she was giddy with delight with the fact that he was so comfortable in her presence, just like he used to be before. Maybe it was his relaxed appearance that made Erina lower down her inhibitions. Maybe that's when she succumbed to the warm grip of slumber.

She sat up.  
 _He was really talkative today._

The blonde thought as a self-satisfied smile formed on her lips. To think that she almost decided not to come today. She would've missed so many things. She wiped away a thin film of sweat from her forehead and instinctively took off her blazer. The sky rumbled and she looked out of the window. Her mind presumed that this must have been the reason why she was interrupted in her siesta. Her hands touched the other side of the bed and found it cold. She surely took her sweet time. The Second Seat must have been more tired than she was expecting to be. A twinge of embarrassment was evident from her face as she got up and made her way downstairs.

"Soma-kun?" she inquired as she climbed down the stairs. No response came back.  
 _Maybe he went out.  
_ She checked her cell for any new messages. But there were none.

A disappointed sigh escaped from her lips. He could at least let her know when he was coming back. They had an agreement. The amethyst-eyed chef simply shrugged and entered the bathroom.  
Her hair was a mess. This was her first thought when she saw her reflection on the mirror. But astonishingly, that didn't bother her, which was unlike her usual self. The red-head was never a fan of her perfect image and she was glad to be relieved of the pressure of maintaining appearances. They were past that stage.

As she splashed her face with cold water, the last vestiges of exhaustion left her body. Her face relaxed, an easy smile flashed across her face.  
 _Today was much better._  
They have made a lot of progress. Her internal turmoil was soothed to some effect.

The blonde made her way towards the kitchen island. It surprised her that she managed to manoeuvre through the furniture with ease. She discovered a carton of juice in the refrigerator and poured herself a glass. Another rumbled echoed within the empty restaurant and the blonde sensed the wind change its direction as well as its speed. Once she was done with the juice, she walked towards the sink to wash her glass. Her nose picked up a fragrant smell as she walked past the oven. Nakiri Erina stopped in her tracks. The kitchen had been used very recently, she deduced, and there's no way she sleep-walked into the kitchen and whipped up dishes. Does that mean..?

The blonde lifted the lid off the trash can and her suspicions were confirmed. She just stood there as wave after wave of emotions slammed against her consciousness. The primitive part of her brain lit up with joy. Somehow Soma had managed to overcome his grief. Everything was going to be alright.  
 _He's going to come back.  
_ Erina practically skipped towards the sink. But then she froze. By now, the logical part of her intellect had conjured up a number of questions that pierced into her bubble of glee and deflated it.  
 _Why didn't he let me taste it?_  
She ran back to the kitchen island and began looking for anything that resembled cooked food. She couldn't find one. Her eyes scanned the empty tables of diner.  
 _Nothing.  
_ She was about to give up but her common sense worked up an idea.  
 _The fridge.  
_ She rushed towards it.

Ten minutes later she sat down on a chair, completely defeated. She leaned back while her hands covered her forehead. She was toying with a number of explanations. Maybe he thought the food was going to go bad and so he threw it away.  
 _No, he is well-aware of an invention called the refrigerator.  
_ Chefs value food highly, especially a chef like Yukihira Soma. He disliked wasting precious food with a passion.  
 _Maybe he cooked it only for himself._ A part of her brain theorised.  
Erina almost laughed out loud. The notion was so absurd. Truth be told, if he had his way, the red-head would make her taste his dishes every day.

That only leaves one explanation.  
He had decided that his dish was not good enough. Despair enveloped the blonde and dimmed her vision. On one hand, she was delighted that he was trying again but on the other hand the disappointment would shatter him. He wasn't in a strong state of mind to begin with. The situation was cruelly convoluted and Erina hated it. Then another far troublesome thought popped up in her head.  
He had cooked. He didn't like the results. He vanished.  
 _Oh God._

Nakiri Erina stood up so abruptly that her chair fell to a side. But the blonde did not hear it fall. Her head was spinning. All her intellectual assets stopped working as she ran towards the exit of the restaurant.  
Once she reached the door, she came to a halt. It was locked from the inside.  
 _What the hell!  
_ She pulled on the handle and confirmed that the door was indeed locked. Her mind went completely blank. She staggered a few steps back while her hands searched for her cell. She didn't have it on her. She twirled back and faced the kitchen. Her phone was on the kitchen slab along with her juice glass. She half-ran, half-limped towards it, knocking a few chairs to their side on the way. By the time she picked up the phone, she was panting. Her mental exhaustion was straining her physical stamina. She wasted no time and dialled Soma's number.

A blast of cold wind hit her from the kitchen window and at the same time she heard a deafening slamming noise. The blonde let out a small involuntary shriek. The sudden clamour scared her so much that she disconnected the call by mistake.  
She looked up. The noise, which sounded like a door banging shut, came from upstairs. Slowly, she approached the staircase. She distinctly remembered that she had locked the door to Soma's bedroom when she came down. Then it occurred to her.  
 _The roof!_

More precisely, the door that led to the roof. But the red-head always kept it under lock and key. The two of them never went there anyway. There was no way it could...  
Realisation dawned within her head. Erina's wits were back in action.  
 _He's on the roof._

Slowly, the amethyst-eyed beauty calmed down as she began ascending the steps. By the time she reached the first floor, a bothersome notion occurred to her. He didn't let her taste his dish. Should she ask why? An image of last night's blog flashed in her mind.  
She already knew what his answer would be.  
 _"The dish wasn't worthy of your God Tongue."  
_ What would she say to that?  
Her mind was hesitant, yet her feet never swayed. It was one of those situations where the body acted faster than the mind. In no time, she reached the roof.

Dark billowing clouds had accumulated in the west. Even a child could predict the heavy rainfall that was soon to follow by simply witnessing their sheer volume. Cold clean wind blew with such vehement force that one would believe it was in a crusade. Its only goal was to pierce into the fort of darkness and scatter the clouds far away from here. And in the centre of her view was the enigma of Totsuki.

The wind played with his long and vibrant red hair and the sunlight that had filtered through the clouds painted his tufts with various shades of vermillion. The clouds behind him provided a canvas that an artist could only dream of. To Erina, it seemed as if the purest of flames ornamented his head like a halo. Her eyes moved to his face. He was facing towards the north, his posture still and his hands in his pocket. His aureate eyes were blazing as he gazed intently at something that the blonde couldn't quite fathom. Yet, his face was so calm and serene. A small smile played on his thin lips.

The sight that had unfolded in front of her eyes washed away all her emotional woes. All the points of concern that were knocking at the back of her head, threatening to break through her mental barrier and incapacitate her with pure fear, were erased without a trace. At that moment she was overwhelmed with awe and veneration. Her pulse quickened and her stomach fluttered. Her body felt as if all her strength had been sapped out. Yet her heart was beating so extravagantly that she could almost hear it with her own ears.

There were many things in the universe that Second Seat Nakiri Erina had no clue about, but one thing she knew for sure. She will never forget this scene, not until her dying breath.

* * *

At Diner Yukihira...

Former Totsuki Elite Ten Council First Seat Yukihira Soma was enjoying the tumultuous weather. He felt as if nature was recreating the storm that raged within his heart with a divine grace. He was feeling weary and the cold wind seemed to uplift his mood. Twice he attempted to retreat back into his room, but his feet just wouldn't listen to him. Instead, he remained rooted in his position while his whole world spun in his mind.  
 _I failed._

He looked towards his right. The town park was visible from his roof. A lot of kids were running around, screaming and laughing to their hearts' content. Childhood memories of him playing in that same park flooded his mind. Now, all that seemed a lifetime away.

He didn't know what to do next, which was a first for him. The wind was blowing with all its might yet all the red-head felt was stagnation. It scared him. He frantically began analysing his other skills. But it seemed like a dead end, much like his life right now. As long as he could remember, he had never shown much aptitude in anything other than cooking.

Honestly speaking, he had never really put any real effort to shine in any other department. Ever since he was little, only one goal was visible to him and leading him to that goal was a single path. But all that had gone up in flames within a week.  
Life sure seemed simpler before. His manual of living only comprised of three simple steps.  
Step 1: Be at the top of Totsuki.  
Step 2: Surpass the old man.  
Step 3: Make Erina say ...  
"That's never gonna happen, is it?" he asked the wind. A small chuckle escaped from his lips. The irony of the state of affairs was not lost on him. The one person who had rejected her cooking, the one person solely responsible behind his culinary drive, the one person who always manages to bring out the best in him was currently sleeping on his bed. But now he felt as if she was galaxies away from him.

His throat constricted as loneliness gripped his heart with an iron fist. He realised that he was a sinking ship. It was only a matter of time before his very existence vanished within the vast depths of misery. But surprisingly that didn't bother him in the least. The only thing that pained the red-head immeasurably was the fact the he was dragging her down with him. His beautiful Erina deserved better.  
 _"If you quit, I'm quitting too."_ Those were her exact words.

He wished he possessed even a part of her resolve. She was working so hard to support him. She is ready to sacrifice her dreams for him. Is this how he intends to repay her? By holing up in his room and live on as a complete failure? That hardly seemed fair.  
His food was not worthy of the God's Tongue.  
He was not worthy of the Goddess' love.  
 _I'm glad that I got to meet you._  
He took one step towards the parapet.  
 _I wish my younger self had the decency to treat you with more respect.  
_ The sky growled a deep sorrowful note as he took another step.  
It crossed the red-head's mind that the parapet was lower than normal. That would make the task easier. His mind slowly emptied as he let his instincts take control of his body. He lifted his left leg and placed it on the parapet.  
 _Will it hurt?_ He wondered. _  
_A gust of wind hit him from the back with phenomenal force.

 _BANG!  
_ His entire being vibrated with the noise. Yukihira Soma cringed as his hands reflexively rushed to cover his ears. He could swear he had heard a soft scream from a very familiar voice hidden within the rude slamming sound. But maybe that was his imagination going wild.

Delusion or not, it effectively snapped him out of his trance. A new emotion seemed to rise from the muck of his depression. He was ashamed.  
Yukihira Soma wobbled a few steps back. Erina was right, he mentally commented. His stupidity literally knew no bounds.  
He shook his head as he shoved his hands into his pocket. Slow deep breaths escaped from his mouth. He shifted his focus back to the park. He noticed that the children have left. But he was proven wrong within a minute.  
A kid, not older than ten, remained. He had a football in his hand as he strode through the park with measured paces. Then he abruptly stopped and placed the ball on the ground. His actions piqued the red-head's curiosity. His exhausted mind welcomed the distraction.

Once the kid was happy with the ball's placement, he stepped back a few steps, took a small run-up and kicked the ball with all his might. Then the kid brought the ball back and repeated the ritual once more. Yukihira Soma observed the kid for some time. Finally, he realised.  
 _Free-kick practice.  
_ The target must be the trunk of that lone tree in the middle of the park. The red-head guessed as much but he couldn't be sure. Although, the kid shot the ball in the general direction of the tree, the kid never did manage to hit the target. The red-head couldn't blame the kid. The tree was roughly thirty yards away from the toddler.  
When the kid's seventh attempt failed miserably, Yukihira Soma could pick up the signs of frustrations that were emanating from him.  
 _Go home. It's gonna rain.  
_ Within a moment, the boy disappeared from the Soma's sight. Soma let out a long sigh. But to his surprise the toddler came back and repeated his practice with twice the amount of motivation.

When the kid finally succeeded, Soma wanted to celebrate with him. He thought if he should run to the park and congratulate the kid in person. Without even realising it, the red-head was smiling.

But his smile faltered. He felt her presence before he saw her. She was pulling his left hand out of his pocket. The red-head turned to face her. But she paid no heed to his face; she was busy inspecting his hand. Once she was satisfied that he hadn't wounded himself again, she traced a finger lightly along the scar on his left thumb. Soma stared at her face. Her hair was dishevelled, her expression was lined with concern and her eyes were filled with distress. By then Soma knew that she was aware of his failure. Guilt intensified within him as he struggled to formulate words. He had no idea when the blonde arrived on the roof. Did she witness his moment of weakness as well?

When words failed him, he did the one thing he could do in order to assure her. He hugged her. He wasn't surprised when she held on to him as if her life depended on it. At that moment, the red-head understood that his life wasn't his to give away. They separated but the blonde held on to her left hand as if she was afraid he would disappear if she let go.  
She was the first to break the silence.

"I... I know, that...umm," he watched her as she struggled to find the right words. He glanced back to the park. The toddler was still running around with his hands outstretched, gathering the cheers of his imaginary fans. He looked back at her. She was looking at her feet.

He held her shoulders.  
"I think I know what to do," he said with conviction as she looked at him with hopeful eyes.  
"That letter," he continued, while she nodded, "I think I'm gonna go look for the answers." Her eyes lit up as her lips curled up to a smile. "I don't know if that would solve anything..," He went quiet while his gaze shifted to the back of his right hand as a fat drop of rain splashed on it. He immediately removed his hand away before the ice cold water could make contact with her body. The man looked back at her. But he never got to finish his sentence.  
Two warm hands cupped his face as the Ice Queen of Totsuki closed the gap between their lips. In that one kiss, the amethyst-eyed blonde had poured in everything she was meaning to tell him. She felt a slight chill as his hands snaked around her waist and locked her in a tight embrace. In an instant she knew, he had understood her every word.  
The kiss ended as the red-head tore his lips away from hers. He kissed her right cheek and proceeded to whisper in her ear, "Won't the neighbours notice?"

In response, the blonde wrapped her arms around his neck and growled, "Let them."  
This time it was Yukihira Soma who initiated their second kiss and Nakiri Erina recognized that he was not holding back.  
The sky tore open with a loud bellow as torrents of rain quickly enveloped the two of them with a cloak of mistiness.

* * *

At Trattoria Aldini...

The sun was beginning to set and the sky had taken up a lovely shade of yellow. The Arno River was like a rivulet of molten gold. Seventh Seat Mito Ikumi was feeling extremely relaxed as her eyes took in the beautiful scenery. Today was eventful. She shot a glare to her companion who was chatting animatedly with his brother.

"Mito-san," the younger Aldini called out to her, "The starters are going to be served. _Per favore, hai un posto._ "  
The diner was closed for the evening. Ikumi suspected this was for her sake. She was their guest of honour. Takumi pulled out a chair for and pushed it back in once she had settled down. She muttered, "Grazie," which earned her a smirk from him. Isami sat down on a chair on the other side of the table, an amused expression lingered on his face.

"Let me bring out the starters," said Takumi while his younger brother nodded in response.  
Once he was out of earshot, Aldini junior asked his guest in a low voice, "Did he take you to the piazza?"  
"Don't bring it up," replied Ikumi, an exasperated sigh escaped from her lips.  
Isami only chuckled in response. "He has been very attached to that place ever since we were little." He spoke up.  
"Yeah, it was quite apparent," the blonde shrugged, "But we could've gone out to see it tomorrow."  
"I think I can understand the reason behind his urgency," Isami said in a grave tone, "The city has changed a lot in the past couple of years."  
"I see," she replied.  
"In an ever evolving metropolis, the piazza is the only place where ni-san could find constancy." Isami concluded his statement.  
Ikumi's eyes widened as the meaning behind his words sunk in.  
 _I'll be more patient from here on  
_ "Any news from Yukihira-kun?" his sudden query brought the blonde out of her stupor. _  
_Ikumi only shook her sideways.  
Isami nodded thoughtfully. "I wish I could go visit him. Who knows what he's going through right now?"  
"Your brother," said Mito Ikumi, as she saw the subject of her statement emerge from the kitchen; she lowered her voice and continued, "Is very upset about Yukihira quitting."  
"As a rival?" whispered Isami.  
But his question remained unanswered as Takumi placed two dishes on the table. But instead of sitting down, he said, " _Un momento_ ," and walked back to the kitchen.  
"As a friend." And with that she concluded their conversation.

Takumi came back with a bottle of wine and three glasses.  
"Pulling out all the stops, eh ni-chan?" Isami teased him.  
"Something like that," replied the Sixth Seat as he took his seat.  
" _Affettati misti_ ," called out the Meat Master as her keen eyes examined the artistically beautiful dish in front of her.  
" _Si_ ," replied Isami, "It is a _specialità_ of our trattoria. Please enjoy." He gestured his right hand to her. Ikumi Mito complied.  
As soon as she bit on a single slice of meat, her palate burst with flavour. Her eyes closed on their own as she savoured the symphony of taste with all her taste buds.  
"Bresaloa!" she exclaimed, once her power of speech returned.  
"Indeed," replied the younger Aldini, clearly impressed by her knowledge, "The salumi that is traditionally used is obtained from pork, but I decided to introduce a new range of flavour in the dish by using bresaloa, which is cured beef."  
Ikumi nodded with appreciation as she went for a second slice. Takumi patted his brother's back with pride.

"Bravo," he said while Isami grinned. Takumi then proceeded to pour out three glasses with wine. He extended a glass to the lady.  
"Try this," he said with a wink.  
As soon as she took a sip, the synergistic effect blew her away. Wide eyed, she asked, "What is this?"  
"Chianti wine," replied Takumi, "And I brought the best, il Colli Fiorentini."  
"It's a light flavoured wine that pairs really well with the meat platter," Isami explained. The Meat Master beamed at them. The pairing of wine with meat brought out a new world of flavours dotted with new possibilities. This was her Apuan marble. Her brain was already working on probable combinations as she extended her fork to pick up a third slice.

" _Scusami_ ," said the younger brother, as he got up from his seat, "You two enjoy."  
"Where ya going?" inquired the blonde lady.  
" _Il corso principale_ ," winked Isami Aldini as he walked towards the kitchen.

* * *

Back at Diner Yukihira...

"What do you mean I can't come with you?" inquired Nakiri Erina as she let the red-head dry her hair with a towel.  
"It's too far away," she heard him speak, "There, all done." He removed the towel and began wiping his face.  
The blonde got up and took out a brush from her bag.  
"I possess the means to travel anywhere in Japan," she slanted her head as all of her voluminous blonde hair fell to her left, "From Bentenjima to Okinotorishima, you name it." She began brushing her hair.

"Is that a fact?" remarked the former First Seat, his face was covered by the towel as he dried his head.  
"Absolutely," replied Erina once she was done. She poured herself a glass of water, "In fact," she took a sip, "We can embark on our journey tomorrow."  
Yukihira Soma remained silent.

Erina emptied her glass and sat down in front of him. She took out her phone and called her driver. Once she disconnected the call, she asked him, "So, where are we going?"  
"You can't," was his reply as he got up and walked to the kitchen island. His back was towards her and as a result he failed to notice the flicker of hurt that was visible on her face.  
They didn't talk for a minute.  
"No way in hell I'm letting you go by yourself." The edge in Erina's voice was barely hidden.  
"I'll be fine," he replied softly, "There's no need to for you to go on a wild goose chase. I'm not even sure whether this trip is worth it."  
"I'm not taking any chances," she said in a low voice as she got up from her seat and slowly walked towards him. "So I'm asking you again," she continued, "Where are we going?"

The red-head sighed as he placed both of his hands on the kitchen slab. He could hear her footsteps approaching him.  
"Kolkata," he finally said, he heard her stop in her tracks, "India." He waited for her to say anything, when no response came; he went on, "It's approximately 3200 miles away from here." He paused as he waited for her to say something.

"When do you leave?" her soft voice came from behind him.  
"As soon as possible," he said, "Preferably before I change my mind and chicken out."  
There was another pause.  
"When will you come back?" she whispered.  
"I don't know," was Soma's honest answer.

She made no comment.  
He continued.  
"That's why you can't. It's too..."  
Her voice interrupted him.  
"There's a flight that leaves from Tokyo in about 7 hours."

A wide-eyed Soma turned around to face her.  
"If it's fine by you," Erina continued, her face was illuminated by the screen of her cell, "I will book two seats."

* * *

 **My mind had to go to a really dark place in order to squeeze this chapter out.  
Well, that's all for now. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please Follow and Favorite the story. And most importantly, please review. That's the source of my motivation.  
I'll be back with another update as soon as possible.  
Until then..stay golden.**

 **Upcoming Chapter: Totsuki's Finest.**  
 **~Signing off**  
 **SibylStorm**


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